Ugandan Forces Capture Senior IS-Linked ADF Rebel Commander in Eastern Congo

The Ugandan military has captured a senior commander of the ISIS-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group in the jungles of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Reuters reported yesterday.

The insurgent, identified as Ugandan national Anywari Al Iraq, is an expert bomb-maker who has overseen the production of deadly improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used in attacks by the ISIS-affiliated group, the source mentioned.

During the operation, nine civilians, including children, were rescued from the ADF stronghold in Ituri province. Security forces also recovered a stash of IED-making materials from the site.

The ADF, which originated in Uganda but has been based in Congo since the 1990s, has been blamed for killing hundreds of villagers in the region in recent years, including a 2021 triple suicide bombing in the Ugandan capital Kampala.