With the green light from Kinshasa, Uganda launched a military operation in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the end of November against rebel positions of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). This Ugandan group is sowing terror in the region.
A new strategy
Two armies rather than one to hunt down the ADF in eastern DRC. The Democratic Republic of the Congo speaks of joint military operations with Uganda against one of the most violent armed groups in this sector. It is “restore peace” in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, as stated by the Congolese Minister of Justice, Rose Mutumbo, when presenting this new strategy to Parliament. She obtained the support of deputies who nevertheless demanded results on the ground, according to radio Okapi.
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An operation with blurred outlines
The operation began with airstrikes and artillery fire from Uganda on ADF positions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were followed by a deployment of Ugandan troops across the border. What are their numbers? How long is this military operation? No details yet. We only know that this new approach is part of a military partnership to strengthen the fight against armed groups. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi decreed last May a state of siege in the east of the country without succeeding in neutralizing the ADF. He recently accepted the“aid” proposed by its Ugandan counterpart, Yuweri Museveni.
Who have the ADF?
It is difficult to define exactly what are Allied Democratic Forces, an armed group established in eastern DRC for 26 years. Composed at the outset of Ugandan Muslim rebels, the ADF turned into a violent Islamist movement. Some of their attacks were claimed from 2019 by the Islamic State organization. It was the latter which took over those perpetrated in October and November, for the first time in many years in Uganda. Despite several military operations, the Congolese army failed to neutralize them. Nothing says today that the military reinforcements from Uganda will make it possible to eradicate the armed terrorist group.
Arsonist firefighters?
The Congolese are divided on this operation. They hope to put an end to terrorism in the region and at the same time worry about the deployment on their soil of a foreign army. Uganda’s involvement deeply annoys Dr Mukwege, a voice that matters in eastern DRC. In a message posted on Twitter, the Nobel Peace Prize winner implicitly denounces the harmful role of neighboring countries by calling them “firefighters”.
After 25 years of mass crimes & plundering of our resources by our neighbors, the authorization of the President to the UPDF & the acc. of coop. milit. with RDF are unacceptable
No to arsonists / firefighters! The mm errors will produce the mm tragic effects
Stand up Congolese, Nation in danger!– Denis Mukwege (@DenisMukwege) November 28, 2021
The presence of Ugandan soldiers on Congolese territory recalls the dark hours of the war years (1998-2003) when Uganda and Rwanda intervened in eastern DRC to support rebel forces against the government in Kinshasa. Uganda was convicted at the time by the International Court of Justice in The Hague for “human rights violations” and “looting and exploitation of natural resources” from the country.