The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) in DRC has briefed the United Nations (UN)Military Staff Committee on progress made in DRC during a meeting held at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala.
According to the deputy Defence spokesperson, Col Deo Akiiki, the meeting aimed at updating the UN Military Staff Committee on the progress and situation of Operation Shujaa in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Maj Gen Dick Olum, the Commander of the Mountain Division that is part of the forces fighting Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Eastern DRC, recounted achievements to include redeeming the population from slavery under the ADF spell, stopping the insurgents from making hit-and-run attacks, IED emplacement, infiltration from the area, laying ambushes, attacking civilians and attacking motorists along public roads.
“The joint force has rescued, rehabilitated, and reintegrated a number of minor soldiers with their families and increased socio-economic activity owing to the peace and stability ushered in by the military operation. There has also been recorded an increase in the cross-border trade between the DRC and Uganda owing to the good roads and security. ADF has lost substantive weaponry, and a good number of the insurgents have been put out of action,” he said.
Maj Gen Olum expressed commitment to continue with the strategic military operation and reactivate operations in former ADF bases to stop the enemy from reverting to their former bases.
“The ADF is an international issue that stretches beyond the shared border between Uganda and the DRC. The entire Great Lakes Region ought to get interested in the annihilation of the Islamic extremist insurgent outfit before it spreads to all the other countries in the region,” Maj Gen Olum said.
Meanwhile, the head of the UN Military Staff Committee, Col Carl Harris, said that now the committee has a clear picture of the situation in Eastern DRC.
“We have got a much better understanding of what Uganda and DRC forces are doing in Eastern DRC, the current operations they are undertaking and the fierce conditions in which they are fighting; the contribution they are making to establish more excellent stability and security in Eastern DRC,” he noted.
