The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has attacked the bases of the Allied Democratic Forces in the DR Congo.
The Military Spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire told Daily Monitor that the UPDF fighter jets raided the ADF bases on Friday afternoon. « We have attacked ADF bases in DR Congo this afternoon. Shared intelligence between Uganda and the DRC, confirmed that the ADF terrorists who recently carried out attack on UN peace keepers under MONUSCO, were planning to conduct hostile activities against Uganda. In a preemptive move, this afternoon UPDF conducted attacks on their camps in Eastern DRC », he said.
« ADF terrorists may only buy time but will be targeted wherever they are hiding! », he said. The Ugandan army did not enter DR Congo.
Brig Karemire said they used long range guns and planes to attack ADF bases.
This comes just days after, suspected Allied Democratic Front (ADF) rebels reportedly killed 15 UN peacekeepers and wounded over 50 others. Among the killed were from Tanzania and at least five were Congolese soldiers. Last Thursday, several trucks carrying unspecified number of UPDF soldiers and military equipment were seen in Fort Portal town heading to Bundibugyo.
The 2nd Division army spokesperson, Major Peter Mugisa told journalists then that the deployment followed reports that the ADF rebels planned to enter the Uganda through Bundibugyo District. Mr Mugisa said, « The attack on the UN base was diversionary but their intention was to infiltrate and attack Uganda ». According to Mugisa, the deployment heightened especially in areas he referred to as enemy prominent routes.
In the 1990s, the ADF rebels terrorized the Rwenzori region in the districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo and Kabarole for over a decade. During the insurgency, the rebels are believed to have killed more than 3,000 people and displaced 100,000. In 2013, more than 10,000 refugees crossed into Uganda at the Busunga Border post in Bundibugyo district. They fled after the ADF rebels attacked the town of Kamango, 11 kilometres from the DRC-Uganda border.
By Risdel Kasasira, in Daily Monitor, 22.12.17
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