The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have confirmed the killing of 242 militants from the Cooperative for Development of the Congo (CODECO) in a fierce two-day battle at Fataki, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement released today, the UPDF Acting Spokesperson, Col Chris Magezi, detailed how the heavily armed Lendu militias launched early morning attacks on March 18 and 19 against a UPDF battle group stationed in Fataki in an attempt to dislodge the Ugandan forces. However, the militants were repulsed with heavy casualties.
“The enemy sustained significant losses, with 31 fighters killed on Wednesday and an additional 211 eliminated on Thursday morning,” the statement says. “Our forces fought valiantly to defend their positions, and despite the intensity of the attacks, we only suffered one fatality, while four of our soldiers sustained injuries.”
The injured soldiers have since been evacuated to Uganda for further medical attention and are expected to recover, according to the statement.
UPDF was deployed in the region weeks ago as part of ongoing efforts to prevent remnants of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) from infiltrating the area as they flee joint UPDF-FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) operations under Operation Shujaa.
“The recent collaboration between CODECO and the ADF has led to increased violence in Ituri Province, particularly targeting Hema communities,” the spokesperson noted. “This has resulted in massacres, the destruction of villages, and the displacement of thousands of civilians.”
Local communities in Fataki, Bunia, and Mahagi have reportedly welcomed the UPDF’s presence, viewing it as a stabilizing force against continued attacks by Lendu and allied militias.
The UPDF deployments in northern Ituri are also expected to mitigate the growing refugee crisis, as hundreds of Congolese civilians have been crossing into Uganda in search of safety.
