Joint security forces rescue 14 women captives from ADF rebels
What you need to know:
- Among the captured individuals was a Burundi national who served as Abu Waqas's wife and has been a member of the ADF for five years.
The Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) together with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) successfully carried out a joint operation on Monday night, rescuing 14 women who were captives in the hands of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist group in Eastern DR Congo.
Maj Bilal Katamba, the spokesperson of Operation Shuuja, said that the joint forces operating in the Mwalika Valley in the North Kivu province of DR Congo made contact with the ADF rebel group led by Abu Waqas.
The confrontation took place at the confluence of River Talha and Semuliki, where the 14 women were picked.
Among the captured individuals was a Burundi national who served as Abu Waqas's wife and has been a member of the ADF for five years.
“The joint forces are still pursuing the ADF rebels, Abu Waqas's group is responsible for the killing of 38 students ofMpondwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School in Kasese District on June 16, 2023,” he said.
Operation Shuja was launched on November 31, 2021, with the objective of eradicating rebel groups in the DR Congo, mostly the ADF.
Since its inception, the operation has led to the capture of numerous ADF rebel camps and the recovery of weapons by the joint forces.
