Match made in heaven: UPDF, locals repel ADF

The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) has hailed residents of Ntoroko District for helping them thwart attempts by an Islamist rebel group to mount an offensive in the country.

The UPDF 8th Mountain Division Battalion this week landed blows on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the quiet western district of Ntoroko. The rebels hoped to use the district’s large forest cover to hide in plain sight, but residents unmasked them.

Lt Col Saul Nabimanya, the 8th Battalion commander, told Sunday Monitor that “human intelligence” helped the UPDF make great inroads that by Friday had seen 15 rebels captured and 21 put out.

“You cannot fight any battle without civilians on your side because they are everywhere, they gave us information when it was early, and we were able to intercept rebels,” he said.

Maj Gen Dick Olum, the Operation Shujaa commander, told this newspaper that Lt Col Nabimanya “acted very swiftly after getting information from civilians [after] ADF rebels had crossed to villages of Kyobe and Kayaja in Ntoroko District.”

Operation Shujaa’s key goal is to flush the ADF rebels out of the forests of the eastern DR Congo where they are reported to have sought refuge.

“There is one LC II chairman in Kibuuku Sub-county who took us to one of the places in his farm where these rebels were hiding,” Maj Gen Olum told Sunday Monitor, adding: “He was driving his car and we were following him. I think I need to call him after the operation and come to Fort Portal and thank him.”

Ntoroko is partly covered by the forests of Tooro Semliki Wildlife Reserve, which the rebels would have used as a hideout. Mr William Kasoro, the Ntoroko District chairperson, said the rebels lacked the support of civilians to execute their plans.

“The truth is that our UPDF soldiers were not at Kayaja where rebels entered Ntoroko,” he revealed, adding: “It was our people who informed soldiers and led them to where they (the rebels) were hiding … if it was not that, the rebels were going to cause more damage.”

Acting on the human intelligence, the UPDF soldiers swiftly intercepted rebels in the villages of Harugaju and Kyobe where they exchanged gunfire, leaving about eight rebels dead.

Mr Edward Kasagaki, a resident of Kayaja Village, said he immediately alerted security personnel after seeing the rebels “walking in the middle of the road.” Unfortunately, before being intercepted, the rebels shot dead a resident of Majumba Village. Two other residents—Mr Mick Robert and Mr Arclight Musana—are hospitalised with gunshot wounds.

Mr Edison Balinda, the chairperson of  Kayaja Parish, told Sunday Monitor he also called security forces.

“When our soldiers overpowered them, some rebels decided to split and go back. They went and hid in a place called Kyakamwiruka. I decided to follow them, and luckily enough they never shot. [The rebels] were 14 in total. I called the army again. They came and searched for them until they were all killed,” he said, adding that the rebels’ intention was to attack the UPDF barracks.

Security scorecard

According to the UPDF’s year end report, Operation Shujaa—commenced last November—has, besides, putting out a number of rebels, also seen their major operation base in Kambi ya Yua overrun.

“The ADF has been operating in eastern Congo for 20 years uninterrupted, committing a number of atrocities. However, these terror activities have now been effectively stopped on account of unrelenting UPDF and FARDC (Congo army) pressure,” Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, the UPDF and Defence ministry spokesperson, said during a media briefing in Mbuya on Friday.

Brig Gen Kulayigye also said the country’s general security picture is great despite attempts by the ADF and other criminal gangs to ensure otherwise.

“All cells of saboteurs, criminal gangs and ADF sympathisers who were bent on causing insecurity through the use and acquisition of the firearms from the security forces have been largely neutralised and the appetite to acquire guns has been lost,” he said.

Brig Gen Kulayigye’s scorecard was delivered at a time when the country has recorded a spate of  attacks on security stations totalling at least five in the less than a two-month stretch.

Other attacks have been launched on private armed forces, with the latest being the killing of Leon Odong a security guard with SGA Security Group who was shot to death before taking his gun on November 6 at Advance Micro Smart Microfinance Office in Wobulenzi Town Council, Luweero District.

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