DR Congo: 4 ADF Fighters Gunned Down in UPDF/FARDC Rapid Response Fire
The joint armed forces of Uganda and DR Congo have formed rapid response mobile crack units to swiftly respond to isolated attacks by the terrorist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
Since November 30 when UPDF and FARDC launched blistering aerial and long-range artillery attacks on ADF encampments in Ituri and North Kivu, eastern DRC, the Islamist militants have been carrying out revenge attacks on civilians.
The terrorists have been raiding homes and shops of civilians, hacking them to death.
In some instances, the ADF have ambushed and slaughtered locals chiefs to intimidate locals from providing actionable intelligence about the fighters’ bases to FARDC and ADF.
On Monday afternoon, ADF fighters raided Kayenjye locality where they abducted six people who were busy in their gardens.
The terrorists forced the abductees to carry goats, foodstuffs to their hideout. They further torced houses and killed a boda boda rider.
The Joint Forces received a tip from the public about the abduction before responding with heavy gunfire.
Operation Shujaa spokesperson Maj Peter Mugisa said four ADF combatants were taken out of action.
SMG rifles and a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) were recovered from the military operation.
Sources said President Museveni directed the UPDF commanders to work with their Congolese counterparts to build ‘resistance committees/Local Defence Units’ in liberated areas to either respond to rebel attacks or quickly report them to zonal forces for action.
Map of showing the locality of Kamango where ADF remnants are killing innocent civilians
“Our experience here is that, once you attack concentrations of the terrorists and they see that you have the capacity, they can’t challenge you army to army, they now go to pure terrorism. They break into small groups and they go to attack villagers,“ said Museveni in January 2021 while meeting DRC officials in Kampala.
Museveni made mention of five elements needed to strengthen security which include using mobile forces, zonal forces, local defence units per village, strategic forces (air forces, artillery) and to lesser – extent Special Forces.
He said these will later prevent pockets of terrorism where rebels return to attack villagers and kill people ending up discrediting government.
“That’s why for us, we add the third force. These are called local defence units per village where there’s a threat. And they don’t have to be many. When the other people come to kill villagers, they will be there to repulse them,” he said.
However, DRC authorities are wary of giving guns to locals as the weapons might land in bad hands.
UPDF has since intensified operations in Nobili and Kamango localities which were once considered a ‘death triangle’ due to the fighters’ relentless attacks on civilians.
The Joint forces last week captured Boga Town and Boga airfield.
This is in addition to several camps including the famous Kambi Ya Yua. The armed forces also secured major routes in Eastern Congo to enable ground battle teams to pursue ADF rebels, who have fled to the thick forests.
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