Posts on social networks by Uganda's head of army put the future of Operation Shujaa into question. This joint mission of the Ugandan and Congolese armies was launched on November 30, 2021, to fight the ADF, the deadliest group in eastern DRC.
"Operation Shujaa will officially end in two weeks," Ugandan Army Commander Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba tweeted. In a second publication, the son of President Yoweri Museveni specifies that the joint mission in eastern DRC will continue for another six months "if the two heads of state decide to extend it."
Defense Minister Vincent Ssempijja has confirmed that the bilateral agreement with the DRC ends on May 31. This is the first time that the authorities have mentioned a deadline. Until now, the Ugandan army assured that it would remain on the spot for the time necessary to eliminate the ADF.
Kinshasa and Kampala have so far been satisfied with the progress of the two previous phases of operations. In the upcoming phases of the operation, FARDC and UPDF want to gain control of the territory of Irumu and prevent ADF fighters from deploying in Mambasa, Ituri and Tshopo.
In Kinshasa, for Patrick Muyaya, the spokesperson for the Congolese government, it is "premature" to speak of the end of the joint operation. During a press conference on the situation in Ituri, he said that before ending the mission, the representatives should first meet and assess its further development.
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