The Commander of UPDF Land Forces Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has asked the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorists to surrender before its too late. Gen Muhoozi says the joint forces of UPDF and Democratic Republic of Congo’s FARDC are ready to receive and give them a second chance.
“To ADF combatants. You have seen what we (the joint UPDF/FARDC forces) are capable of. Operation Shujaa will continue until your terrorism ends. Many of your ‘leaders’ have already fled the bush and abandoned you to your fate……surrender now before it’s too late. The joint forces will receive you and give you a second chance,” Gen Muhoozi tweeted on Friday.
Last Tuesday, UPDF, in a joint operation with DRC forces, launched a series of aerial strikes against the ADF militants in Congo. The operation was intended to drive the militants out of their bases. It came after a series of terror attacks in different parts of Uganda, all of which were blamed on the ADF.
However, a few days after the launch of the operation, the Ugandan army halted the use of armoured vehicles in the ongoing ground offensive against the terrorists due to the poor roads in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Addressing the media in Bundibugyo on last Friday, Maj Peter Mugisa the spokesperson for the joint operation said that the UPDF has opened a base at Mukakati village in North Kivu Province which is 18km to the ADF camps and 9km to River Semuliki.
He however says that UPDF trucks and other heavy equipment are stuck and can’t cross from Mukanga village to the ADF camps due to the bad roads.
Mugisa added that they will halt the operation for a week as they wait for UPDF graders and other equipment to open the roads and also repair the Semuliki bridge.
“So far UPDF has established its forward operating base in a village called Mukakati as a launching pad because the road is not good, it can’t allow our machines to move so we need to at least halt a bit for a week, we bring in our graders and try to open up,” said Mugisa.
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