The UPDF has together with the Congolese army, FARDC killed three ADF rebels inside the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the Operation Shuja spokesperson,Maj Bilal Katamba, the three were killed during fighting on the West bank of River Lunah, in Matunguru Valley, North East of Maitatu, Irumu territory, Ituri Province in Eastern DRC.
During the fighting, eight people including five children and three women were rescued.
“According to the rescued women, they were abducted by the ADF when they ambushed and hit a bus they were travelling in from Kamanda to Beni. The bus was hit at Ndalya on November, 5, 2021. They had since been under captivity until their rescue by the joint UPDF/FARDC forces,”Maj Katamba said.
“The joint forces also recovered an RPG bomb and medicines that were being used by the rebels. ”
According to Maj Katamba, the joint forces continue to pursue the rebels who are still on the run having been routed out of Mwalika Valley late last year by the joint forces.
Designated as a terrorist group by the US government, ADF has used the name Madina at Tauheed Wau Mujahedeen (City of Monotheism and Holy Warriors—MTM) to refer to emphasize its links to the Islamic State.
In 2019, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an ADF attack and first referenced a “Central Africa Province.”
The Islamic State group has in the past claimed that ADF is its Central African offshoot.
The Bridgeway Foundation recently said that ADF has since been specifically named as Islamic State in DRC to move away from being referred to as the Central Africa Province of ISIS/ ISIL.
“When ISIS recognized ADF, it became the Islamic State in DRC and Isis fighters from across the region started joining ADF. More fighters moved from Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa and many other places. Because ADF got more manpower, they became more deadlier.”
The UPDF together with the Congolese army in 2021 launched joint operations against ADF inside DRC.
A number of ADF commanders and fighters have been killed, others surrendered whereas a number of captives have been rescued.
