UPDF enlists locals in fight against ADF rebels
By Monitor Team
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) intends to enlist the help of the local population in the fight against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in parts of Rwenzori Sub-region. Maj Gen Dick Olum, the commander of Operation Shuuja in eastern DR Congo, said this does not mean arming civilians and sending them to the frontline but rather relying on them in gathering intelligence information.
“The Head of State in his directive does not intend for Wanainchi to be armed and sent to the frontlines to engage in combat with ADF rebels,”he said yesterday in an interview with Daily Monitor.
“As a strategist, he emphasises the importance of human intelligence, which involves people cooperating with the UPDF to provide information. Human intelligence is derived from the population, and this is our primary focus,” Maj Gen Olum added.
At the weekend, President Museveni, in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), urged the UPDF to collabo- rate with the police and the local population (Wananchi) to track down sus- pected ADF rebels who had crossed from DR Congo into Kasese.
“The UPDF should involve the Police and the Wanainchi to hunt for these groups, running from Congo. They are no longer a military problem. They are; Police, popular vigilance, and anti-terrorism efforts. We are destroying their base in Congo,”he posted.
This follows last week’s attack on tourists in Queen Elizabeth National Park and the torching of a lorry loaded with onions in Kasese District. The President revealed that on the same day (Saturday),the UPDF bombed another ADF camp in DRC.
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