No Effort Will be Spares to Defeat ADF – DRC President

The Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi had said in an annual address on the state of the nation that no effort will be spared to defeat ADF terrorists.

This is the first time the DRC President is speaking about joint UPDF and DRC forces against the ADF.

The two neighbouring countries launched artillery and air strikes on November 30 against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), accused of massacres in DR Congo and bombings in Uganda.

The offensive against the deadliest militia in the east of the DRC has seen 34 rebels captured, 31 hostages freed and four enemy camps destroyed, the two armies said on Saturday.

The situation on the ground remained calm since the operations began, a joint statement said.

“With our parliament duly informed, I will limit these operations, the presence of the Ugandan army on our territory, to the amount of time that is strictly necessary,” the president said in the address at parliament.

The speech was the first time Tshisekedi had officially mentioned the presence of Ugandan troops in his country.

After 25 years of violence, he had put the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri under a “state of siege” in May, when soldiers replaced civil servants in key positions.

The president said “no effort will be spared to restore peace and security”.

He noted that the ADF also operate in Uganda and the joint border area and said the state of siege had “moved the lines” and seen former enemy bastions recaptured.

The ADF was historically a Ugandan rebel coalition whose biggest group comprised Muslims opposed to President Museveni.