President Museveni Announces Major Strike Against ADF Terror Group in Joint Operation with DRC
President Yoweri Museveni confirmed a successful joint military operation between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under Operation Shujaa, targeting the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror group. The operation struck ADF bases in DRC, with the approval of the Congolese government.
President Yoweri Museveni who is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces on Monday, September 18, 2023, confirmed that the joint forces of Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) operating under Operation Shujaa had struck Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror group bases and many are feared dead.
In a post on X, Museveni said, “Ugandans and, especially, the Bazzukulu. Further to my message of thanking those who sent me congratulatory messages, I take this opportunity to inform you on Saturday morning, our long-range assets paid a visit to the authors of the plan to kill Ugandans with homemade bombs.”
“Those bankrupt criminals were in the areas of Mambasa territory, beyond the areas we had been allowed to operate in by the Congo Government, initially. The good thing is that the Congo Government has now allowed us to follow these terrorists wherever they go,” the President added.
President Museveni said they were awaiting the reports of the post-attack assessment to judge whether the criminals escaped or have, finally, paid for their sins.
“If, however, they escape this time, they [sic] won’t the next one,” he warned.
On Monday, Defence spokesperson Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye confirmed the development.
“On Saturday, September 16, 2023, the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) in collaboration with our allies the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) carried out a surgical operation using our strategic assets to deny the planners of the recent bombs found in Kampala City, freedom at action. The country will be informed of the details later,” he said.
Kulayigye saluted the forces engaged in Operation Shujaa for the continued sacrifices to ensure the territorial integrity of Uganda’s western border.
“The UPDF lauds the FARDC for the continued cooperation in the efforts to defeat the terrorists in Eastern DRC,” he said.
In November 2021, Uganda and DRC signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a joint military operation code-named Operation Shujaa, bases based in the Eastern DRC which they were using to carry out attacks on Uganda.
Several ADF camps have since been destroyed and its commanders have since been either killed or captured, while several abductees rescued.
