More ADF rebels killed in Ituri Province

Ituri, DRC | THE INDEPENDENT | Seven Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels were on Sunday evening killed during a joint operation by Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) soldiers in the village of Bandindese, 18 kilometers from Komanda in the Irumu territory, Ituri Province, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to, Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, spokesperson of the FARDC in Ituri Province, the surprise operation targeted ADF rebels who were wandering in the forest towards the locality of Bandindese.

Ngongo says that the fighting which lasted for a few hours forced the surviving rebels to flee. He says that among the dead include Somali and Chadian nationals. He also says that the FARDC soldiers recovered two AK 47 guns from the rebels.

Ngongo also says that FARDC intensified the operations to track down the rebels during this period of Christmas and the end-of-year festivities, to calm the area and facilitate traffic on the national road number 4. He affirms that for about a week, the army has also been organizing combat and reconnaissance patrols in the localities located along the Komanda-Luna section.

Earlier the spokesperson of the UPDF Mountain Division, Maj. Peter Mugisa had said last  Friday they captured Kambi Ya Yua, a much-revered base for the ADF rebels. Kambi Ya Yua, a stronghold of the ADF group, which covers eight acres of Virunga Forest Land, is estimated to have been accommodating over 600 ADF top members and their families.

Mugisa explained that UPDF also discovered bomb-making materials, 129 live rounds of PK machine gun loaded in their chain, 155 live rounds of sub-machine gun ammunition, three solar panels, and enemy strength registers, among other items.

The joint operations for the eradication of Allied Democratic Forces in Central African province, started three weeks ago when the combined UPDF Air Force and artillery shelled Kambi Ya Yua, Tondoli, Belu1, and Belu2 which are found in North Kivu province in Virunga and Ituri impenetrable forests of Eastern DRC.

Despite efforts by FARDC and UPDF, the rebels have continued to carry out surprise attacks on the locals.  On December 22nd, the rebels shot a truck that was transporting food between Makumo and Lukaya in the Bangole grouping. The truck was heading to Biakato in the territory of Mambasa (Ituri) from North Kivu.

Also on December 16th the rebels attacked Mahu village, the Bangole group in Mambasa territory in Ituri province, and burnt seven tons of Cocoa that was stored in Kivu agricultural trading company.  Rebels also killed five people during the attack.

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