DR Congo, Uganda to share intelligence on rebel group's activities

Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) President Joseph Kabila and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni on Thursday agreed to start sharing intelligence reports on activities of Ugandan rebels operating in eastern DR Congo.

"On this matter, we have agreed to collaborate through our security services by sharing intelligence on activities of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels," Museveni said after the meeting between the two leaders in Kasese district, western Uganda.

He said Uganda will end operations to recruit ADF fighters within its territory, and also revealed that "ADF had been recruiting fighters from other countries, like Tanzania."

The United Nations and non-governmental organizations have accused the Ugandan rebels of killing over 600 people in eastern DR Congo since October 2014.

The UN Mission for Stabilization of Congo has deployed an intervention brigade against local and foreign armed groups, but its impact on insecurity reduction has not been felt much in North Kivu province where ADF rebels have been active since 1986.

Omar Kavota, a member of North Kivu civil society, welcomed the agreement reached between Kinshasa and Kampala authorities to work together on addressing the ADF problem.

He also hailed the efforts made by Kabila to engage his Ugandan counterpart to significantly contribute to eradication of rebel threat in eastern DR Congo. Enditem