UPDF Capture Key ADF Base in Ituri During Operation Shujaa

Ituri Province, DRC — The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) have captured a major Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) base camp in Apakwang, Ituri Province, as part of their ongoing Operation Shujaa offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to Colonel Chris Magezi, Military Assistant to the Chief of Defence Forces, the UPDF launched targeted air and artillery strikes last Sunday, paving the way for ground troops to advance and seize the strategic base on Thursday, July 10.

The captured camp, believed to have hosted between 1,000 and 1,500 ADF fighters and their families, is one of the largest strongholds linked to ADF leader Musa Baluku. In addition to the base infrastructure, UPDF forces also took control of expansive food stores and gardens planted with rice, beans, and cassava, which were used to sustain the militant group.

“Hot pursuit against fleeing ADF remnants further west in the offensive is ongoing,” said Col. Magezi in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Col. Magezi also extended appreciation to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) for their “co-operation and comradeship” during the joint operation. “The UPDF thanks our brothers, the FARDC, for their co-operation and comradeship.”

Operation Shujaa, a coordinated military campaign launched in late 2021 by the UPDF and FARDC, targets ADF insurgents who have been blamed for numerous atrocities in eastern DRC and deadly attacks in Uganda.