More than 200 civilians who had been abducted in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by the armed group Allied Democratic Forces, which is affiliated with the so-called Islamic State, have been rescued during a military operation, according to the neighboring country’s army, the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).
Ugandan troops, working alongside their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, carried out an operation inside a camp controlled by the extremist ADF group, which originated in Uganda.
A statement from the Ugandan army said children were among those freed, with the youngest being a 14-year-old girl.
The ADF was founded in Uganda in the 1990s by individuals who were dissatisfied with the government’s treatment of Muslims. However, after being driven out by Ugandan forces, remaining fighters fled across the border into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In 2021, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo launched a joint military campaign aimed at expelling the ADF from its strongholds in eastern Congo. However, the operation has so far failed to stop the group’s attacks.
It remains unclear when the rescued civilians were kidnapped or from where they were taken. However, the Ugandan army said the captives described harsh living conditions, including food shortages, forced labor, and punishment for disobedience.
Officials added that some of the survivors appeared weak and were suffering from malaria, breathing difficulties, and severe exhaustion.
