H.E Yoweri K. Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief of the Armed forces has called upon citizens to be vigilant against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorists, emphasizing that public places like churches, markets, and public transport should take extra caution.

He made the remarks in a press statement on Uganda’s operation against the ADF terrorists dated Thursday, November 9, 2023.

Museveni promised that the armed forces are going to wipe out the terrorists because they are few in number.

“The infiltrators are few, and with vigilance, they will be captured. We are intensifying the hunt for the real authors of the terrorism schemes in Congo. They will be wiped out if they do not surrender,” the president said.

He went ahead to applaud the Congo government for allowing the UPDF to help them eliminate the criminals from Eastern Congo in a joint operation known as SHUJA.

Additionally, he congratulated the security forces for capturing  and their Ugandan driver, killed children of Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary School in Kasese District, burned an onion truck, and unsuccessfully attacked the parked trucks in Kasiindi, on the Congo side of the border.

“Njovu was injured and captured, and three of his group members were killed, one at Kasiindi and two at Lake Edward,” he said.

The president said that they will not withdraw their troops from Congo but instead will re-enforce their strength there and also guard the rear.

“In their ignorance, the ADF terrorists thought the Congo forests were heaven, where the Security Forces could not reach. Following the attacks by the UPDF in November 2021, they have now discovered that the forests are actually death traps. Hence, small groups are trying to re-enter Uganda and commit acts of terror in the vain hope that we will withdraw from the Congo. We will not. Instead, we are reinforcing our strength there and also guarding the country,” he added.

Security in the country has been tightened as forces are guarding public functions like the controversial Nyege Nyege and the Kyabazinga wedding, among others.

In August 2023, the UPDF released a report stating that 548 ADF terrorists had been put out of action, 50 had been apprehended while still alive, and 31 had submitted to the joint
forces following significant coercion.