Uganda's direct, large-scale military campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo began on September 20, 1998, as the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) moved westward from the border to seize strategic positions in eastern and northern Congo.
The operation followed the outbreak of a rebellion against President Laurent-Désiré Kabila on August 2, 1998. Ugandan forces were already deployed near the Congolese border under earlier security arrangements, but their role expanded as Kampala cited the threat posed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and other armed groups operating from Congolese territory.
On September 11, Uganda's High Command formally directed an expansion of operations deeper into the DRC, targeting strategic entry points, airfields and waterways. Nine days later, the UPDF launched coordinated operations that would see it establish control over important towns and logistical gateways.
The campaign, known by Kampala as Operation Safe Haven, initially delivered rapid military gains. Ugandan forces secured positions in areas including Beni, Bunia, Kisangani, Lisala and Gbadolite, establishing a substantial military presence across eastern and northern Congo.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Uganda also developed alliances with Congolese armed groups, including Jean-Pierre Bemba's Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) in the north and factions of the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) in the east. The strategy allowed Kampala to extend its influence while confronting groups it regarded as security threats.
The intervention soon became part of a much wider regional war. Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia intervened on Kabila's side, turning the conflict into an international confrontation that divided Congo among forces aligned with the government, Rwanda and Uganda.
Uganda's alliance with Rwanda also deteriorated. Rivalries between the UPDF and Rwandan Patriotic Army culminated in three major clashes in Kisangani in 1999 and 2000, permanently damaging relations between the two countries and adding another layer to an already complex conflict.
The Ugandan presence also became deeply entangled in the conflict in Ituri. In 1999, Ugandan commanders created the Kibali-Ituri administrative structure in Orientale Province, while local political and ethnic rivalries, particularly between Hema and Lendu communities, intensified amid the wider war.
Uganda later committed to withdrawal following the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement of 1999. Its military presence in Congo was eventually brought to an end under the 2002 Luanda Agreement.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The intervention would have consequences long after the withdrawal. In 2005, the International Court of Justice ruled that Uganda had violated the prohibition on the use of force and the principle of non-intervention through its military activities in the DRC, and found Uganda responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in occupied territory. The ruling became the basis for a lengthy reparations process between the two countries.
