Ugandan and Congolese Forces Rescue 200 Civilians from ISIL-Linked ADF Rebels

Ugandan and Congolese forces rescued at least 200 civilians, including a 14-year-old girl, during a raid on an Allied Democratic Forces camp along the River Epulu in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The operation targeted positions controlled by commander Ssebagala and killed several Allied Democratic Forces fighters, with rescued captives reporting harsh conditions, forced labor, and untreated illnesses. The raid is part of Operation Shujaa, a joint military campaign launched in November 2021 that has intensified since January 2024, achieving significant gains against the ISIL-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces. The sustained offensive has improved regional security, enabling displaced communities to return home, schools to reopen, and cross-border trade to resume between Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Military Rescue Operation and Captive Conditions

• ▪A 14-year-old girl was the youngest of the captives rescued from the Allied Democratic Forces camp
• ▪Several Allied Democratic Forces fighters were killed during the raid on the camp along the River Epulu
• ▪The raid targeted an Allied Democratic Forces camp along the River Epulu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo
• ▪Ugandan and Congolese soldiers rescued at least 200 civilians in a raid on an Islamist camp in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week

Broader Security Gains from Operation Shujaa

• ▪Forces from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been operating in concert against the Allied Democratic Forces since 2021
• ▪Operation Shujaa intensified since January of this year, leading to significant gains against the Allied Democratic Forces
• ▪Operation Shujaa was first launched in November 2021 in response to attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces committed on either side of the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo border

ADF's Alliance with Islamic State and Regional Context

• ▪The Islamic State did not start formally claiming Allied Democratic Forces attacks within its central media until 2019
• ▪Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo forces have stepped up operations against the Allied Democratic Forces in recent months, partly amid somewhat reduced tensions with the M23 rebels
• ▪The Allied Democratic Forces started more openly allying itself to the Islamic State as of 2016, shortly after the Allied Democratic Forces leadership changed

Perspective of Operation Shujaa Joint Command

• ▪Operation Shujaa has achieved significant gains against the Allied Democratic Forces since intensifying operations in January

Perspective of Regional security analysts

• ▪A fragile peace accord for the M23 rebel conflict came into force in 2024, affecting regional military dynamics