Intelligence details have claimed there is an eminent attack planned against the Congolese population in the areas recently secured by the joint armies of DRC and Uganda in Beni and Ituri regions.
“The information gathered indicates that these criminals organized in an armed group want to sully the good reputation of the UPDF and the FARDC and to create doubt among the population of eastern DRC. In their projection, they want to harm the good relations existing between the UPDF and the FARDC, and the local population who have welcomed and supported the UPDF and the FARDC since the launch of the operation shuja against the ADF last year,” a joint statement of the two armies reads in part.
According to both forces, these criminals are camouflaging themselves behind a uniform similar to that of the Ugandan army in an attempt to make it appear that the army has turned on those it is committed to protecting.
“Using camouflage and uniforms similar to those of the UPDF, this criminal faction planned to commit atrocities by massacring innocent civilians with the aim of making it appear that the UPDF had turned against the people it and the FARDC are committed to protecting. The ultimate goal is to destabilize the region and discredit the UPDF and the FARDC to rekindle the stigma in public opinion,” the two armies said.
In addition, the two armed forces reassure the public that they will not allow themselves to be distracted or diverted from their missions to definitively neutralize the enemy before specifying that in the conduct of operations, they respect human rights, the law International humanitarian and rules of engagement.
