More than 200 civilians have been rescued from captivity by the Allied Democratic Forces, an armed group linked to ISIL, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Ugandan and Congolese forces said the captives were freed during a joint operation targeting an ADF camp along the River Epulu.
Uganda’s military said the rescued civilians had been held by the group after being abducted in the conflict hit region. Some of those freed were in poor health, showing the difficult conditions they had endured while in captivity.
The Allied Democratic Forces began as a Ugandan rebel movement but has operated for years in eastern DR Congo, where it has been blamed for attacks, abductions and killings of civilians. The group later pledged allegiance to ISIL, making it one of the most feared armed groups in the region.
The rescue comes amid continuing insecurity in eastern Congo, where civilians remain caught between armed groups, military operations and displacement. The ADF has repeatedly targeted communities in North Kivu and Ituri, forcing many families to flee their homes.
Ugandan and Congolese forces have been carrying out joint operations against the ADF since 2021. Officials say the latest rescue is a major success, but humanitarian groups warn that many civilians remain vulnerable as violence continues across eastern DR Congo.
The operation brings relief to the rescued families, but it also highlights the scale of the security crisis in the region. For many communities, the threat from armed groups remains part of daily life, even as regional forces try to push them back.
