Joint forces from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) have reclaimed a strategic mining site in Mambasa Territory, Ituri Province, which had been under the control of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) for several years.
FARDC regained control of Muchacha, a key locality in Mambasa, where the mining site, long exploited by ADF rebels had become a center of violence and atrocities, including the killing of civilians.
ALSO READ: Ituri Civil Society Demands UPDF Withdrawal, Issues Two-Week Ultimatum
The operation was carried out in coordination with Ugandan forces deployed across the border as part of ongoing joint efforts to dismantle the Ugandan-origin rebel group.
Located in a mineral-rich area, Muchacha served as a major source of funding for the ADF, which had been illegally exploiting the site.
The recapture results from a series of joint FARDC-UPDF operations conducted last Friday and Saturday aimed at weakening the armed group’s strongholds in eastern DRC.
Reports indicate that five ADF fighters, including one commander of Ugandan nationality, were killed during separate operations in the Bapere sector of Lubero territory in North Kivu.
Spokesperson for the Sokola 1 Grand Nord operational sector, Lieutenant Marc Elongo, said that government forces recovered four AK-47 rifles and freed three hostages previously held by the ADF.
Ugandan military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced that Ugandan troops will withdraw from Lubero by April.
“I have given the orders. Our troops will be out of Lubero by April 3, 2026, Good Friday,” said Muhoozi, adding that he “stands up and salutes” when he sees President Félix Tshisekedi, calling him “my big brother.”
The Ugandan military chief and the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had previously stated in 2022 that Uganda would withdraw its troops from the DRC after deploying them, under Operation Shujaa, to dismantle the armed group.
The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel movement now linked to the Islamic State, continues to operate in the mineral-rich regions of North Kivu and Ituri, despite sustained Ugandan military pressure.
