Following an attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on a secondary school in Kasese district that resulted in the tragic death of 37 students, President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the deployment of additional troops along the Uganda-DR Congo border.
In a statement released on Sunday, the president revealed that the ADF rebels deliberately targeted the school in an attempt to divert the operations of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in eastern DRC and compel them to withdraw their troops—an outcome the president emphasized would not be conceded.
Consequently, the deployment of troops will take place on both sides of the border, with a particular focus on the Mwalika Valley, which serves as a stronghold for ADF groups.
This development has sparked discussions among analysts and critics of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, who are questioning the efficacy and relevance of Operation Shujaa, initiated in 2021. Operation Shujaa involved the deployment of Ugandan troops to Eastern DRC with the objective of apprehending ADF rebels, following their alleged involvement in bomb attacks within Kampala and its suburbs.
Currently, approximately 4,000 troops are engaged in Operation Shujaa. However, Commander of Landforces Lt Gen Muhanga Mayanja had previously suggested that the number would need to be increased to around 20,000 in order to effectively pacify the entire triangle region of DRC.