The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) has announced that a three-day joint CT campaign with the Congolese military had led to the recapture of Mwenda village which is a strategic, logistical, and habitat for a huge ISCAP encampment. The operation was led by the 1st Battalion of Mountain Division that had been advancing towards Mwenda and reports indicate that at least 35 ISCAP militants were neutralized in the operations.
Mwenda has been the home-base for the militants since the November bombardments and the entry of the UPDF in Beni and as such the recapture is a significant achievement in the fight against the jihadists. Mwenda had become a haven for the militants and has been used to launch numerous attacks in Beni, North Kivu province, especially in the Rwenzori sector.
Additionally, intelligence indicates that ISCAP fighters and their families are fleeing a coordinated advance on their strongholds including Mwalika and Kikingi as various Operations Shujaa battalions of the UPDF continue to make strides. Mwalika houses the ADF Isale command unit with over 1500 fighters and Kikingi is a transit haven for the militants in the region.
