President Museveni has said because of heavy bombardment and other operations by the joint UPDF and FARDC forces inside DRC, ADF fighters have started fleeing from their hideouts and running back to Uganda.
Museveni said on Saturday, UPDF fighter bombers again hit four ADF points at 72kms, 120kms, 69kms and 130kms from the border on the Bundibugyo-Semliki side.
"As a consequence, the terrorists are running from Congo which they thought was heaven and re-entering Uganda and trying to commit some random terrorist acts," Museveni said.
He however noted that such fleeing ADF rebels carried out an ambush on a trailer carrying onions in Kasese last week in which they
The attack on a truck carrying onions to the market across they killed the driver and another occupant whereas two others sustained injuries.
"The Public is, therefore, alerted to look out for strange People that come to your area. Report them to the Police that are nearest to you."
Museveni asked the public to also be cautious of relatives that have been away for a long time and suddenly return.
"They may be part of the terrorists."
The UPDF has since December 2021 carried attacks on ADF hideouts inside DRC in a joint operations with the Congolese army.
According to the Ugandan army, at least 500 ADF fighters including several senior commanders have been killed whereas catches of weapons have been recovered and abductees rescued .
The operation has also seen several ADF camps destroyed.
The DRC government recently allowed the UPDF to extend its area of operation to ensure they go after the ADF fighters wherever they flee to inside DRC.
It is these new areas that the UPDF is currently targeting with fighter bombers.
However, since the bombers started, the exact scale of the damage caused has never been assessed.
Designated as a terrorist group by the US government, ADF has used the name Madina at Tauheed Wau Mujahedeen (City of Monotheism and Holy Warriors--MTM) to refer to emphasize its links to the Islamic State.
In 2019, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an ADF attack and first referenced a "Central Africa Province."
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The Islamic State group has in the past claimed that ADF is its Central African offshoot.
The ADF has since been specifically named as Islamic State in DRC to move away from being referred to as the Central Africa Province of ISIS/ ISIL.
The Bridgeway Foundation, a US charity organization recently indicated that Operation Shuja has dealt a heavy blow on ADF inside DRC.
For example, the organization noted that over 358 members of ADF who have left the group due to the pressure from the Ugandan army.
