Uganda hands over 34 Congolese abducted by ADF rebels

KAMPALA, Uganda

Ugandan armed forces handed over 34 Congolese on Saturday that they rescued from ADF rebels in the last two weeks, according to officials.

Lieut. Gen. Kayanja Muhanga from the Ugandan ground forces said the group of mostly women and children were abducted by the rebels in eastern Congo and taken to the forest where they were trained to use firearms.

Muhanga said the group was rescued by Ugandan troops which are in a joint operation with Congo forces to eliminate ADF rebels from eastern Congo.

‘’We rescued the 34 people from ADF rebels after attacking and overpowering them in several battles in the forests of DR Congo. They were airlifted from there to this place in helicopters because there are no roads in the forests,” he told reporters.

Commander of the operation, Col. Dick Olum, said troops are doing well on the battlefield and soon ADF rebels will be wiped out.

ADF rebels originated from Uganda in the 1990s intending to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni.

But they were overpowered by the army and fled to the forest in eastern Congo where they attacked villages killing civilians and looting property.

Uganda and Congo forces started a joint operation against the rebels in December 2021 and have killed more than 200 and arrested 100.