Kampala, May 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ugandan military said on Sunday that it would continue joint operations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group despite the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the neighbouring country.
Chris Magezi, acting spokesperson for the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF), told Xinhua over the telephone that there had been no calls for an immediate halt to military operations, as the ADF continues to kill and abduct civilians in eastern DRC, Xinhua news agency reported.
His remarks came after World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday appealed to armed groups operating in eastern DRC to declare a ceasefire to enable health workers to access affected communities and help contain the spread of Ebola.
"The UPDF will continue operations against ADF remnants while observing Ebola prevention measures and maintaining Ebola SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)," Magezi said.
The ADF, an armed group affiliated with the Islamic State Central Africa Province, originated as a Ugandan rebel movement and is active in eastern DRC.
Its continued operations have prompted joint military action by Congolese and Ugandan forces since November 2021 aimed at tracking and neutralising the group. Despite these operations, local observers said the ADF continues to expand its area of activity in eastern DRC.
Earlier this month, at least 50 civilians were killed in a week-long series of attacks attributed to ADF rebels in eastern DRC.
According to local media reports, the attacks occurred mainly in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where ADF fighters carried out raids, kidnappings, looting and arson in several localities.
In April, more than 70 people were killed in an attack by ADF rebels in eastern DRC.
Dieudonne Lossa, coordinator of a civil society organisation in Ituri, confirmed the death toll, noting that the attack took place in Bafwakoa village in Mambasa territory towards Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo Province.
Armed men believed to be ADF rebels raided several villages, killing civilians and setting homes, vehicles and motorcycles ablaze.
Source: IANS
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