The UPDF has said the commander of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) group that attacked Ntoroko district last month has been captured.
On the night of December 12, a group of 40 ADF militants crossed into Uganda from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through River Semliki with intention of launching attacks in Ntoroko but were seriously pounded by UPDF soldiers.
In the aftermath of the battle, UPDF put out of action 20 fighters, while a number of guns and explosives were seized.
On Tuesday, UPDF spokesperson Brig Felix Kulayigye announced that the army had captured the ADF commander behind the 40-militant group.
Kulayigye further explained that the commander (names concealed), was captured alongside two other fighters.
“Today, the UPDF has captured the commander of the ADF group that attacked Ntoroko last month. He was captured with two other combatants. This accounts for all the terrorists that launched the attack,” Kulayigye said on Tuesday.
The UPDF spokesperson thanked the army for ensuring that none of the rebel fighters that entered Uganda has gone back.
“None has gone back. Bravo to gallant combatants. They can run but they can no longer hide. Wonderful job our gallant Operation Shujaa forces,” he said.
The development comes days after President Yoweri Museveni revealed details about the ADF fighters and commanders behind Ntoroko attack.
In his December nation address, Museveni explained that the fighters were part of a big group that came from Mambasa territory at River Ituri in Ituri province.
Museveni had said that the bigger group was under the enemy commander one Mzee Mayor and another called Rafiki, who were coming to join another enemy commander called Muhammad Lumisa at a place called Maitatu.
According to the President, the Ntoroko attacks came at the backdrop of earlier thorough beating of ADF rebels by joint forces of UPDF and Congolese army FADRC.
“Thereafter that thorough beating, the enemy commander Muhammad Lumisa sent this group of 40 fighters to come to Uganda, kill civilians and loot their properties,” Museveni said in his address.
Recently, the UPDF spokesperson, revealed that the intention of ADF attack on Ntoroko was to divert the Operation Shujaa joint forces from the pressure that they have mounted on the rebel group’s camps in Ituri region.
“..but little did they (ADF) know that we have forces in the rear. One of the Mountain Battalions deployed in Ntoroko dealt with them decisively,” Kulayigye said last month.
