Democratic Republic of Congo’s military has launched an offensive in the eastern city of Beni against an armed Uganda rebel group that is responsible for an attack that killed 15 UN Peacekeepers in December.
The offensive is a joint operation between DRC and Ugandan troops against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) which has been attempting to expand its territory and violent campaign against peacekeeping troops. Beni has been marred by rival militia presence that took over after the 1998-2003 war that killed millions of people.
Militia violence has also been stirred by the refusal to leave office by President Joseph Kabila over a year ago. ADF, which is an Islamist group has been operating along the border with attacks both in DRC and Uganda prompting airstrikes and ground assault by the Ugandan troops.
Uganda’s Museveni, who is a former military man has been viewed as using his strong military to flush and ultimately eradicate the rebels and as such a joint operation will ensure that they do not seek haven in DRC. Countries in East and Central Africa have been struggling with rebel groups that turn violent in a bid to advance their agenda and as such nations have resulted to military force to ensure that they do not grow into a menace like Boko Haram which has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people.
