Ugandan rebel group leader Jamil Mukulu arrested in Tanzania

By

Sylvain Muyali

Jamil Mukulu, head of the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF / NALU) rebel group, has been arrested in the locality of Kagezi, situated on the border between the Republic of Kenya and Tanzania.

Tanzanian press have confirmed that the leader of the Islamist rebel group, said to be allied to elements of Somalia’s Al-Shabaab and accused of numerous brutal attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Uganda, was arrested by security services on 20th April.

It has been reported that at the time of his arrest, the alleged mastermind behind the massacres in the Congolese city of Beni had a dozen passports of different nationalities on his person.

This ends a long manhunt for the group’s leader, a decision waiting to be made regarding his transfer back to Uganda where he will then face trial.

In addition to the Congolese people, this is a major boost for the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the DRC, MONUSCO and its ongoing attempts to negotiate with the respective nations.

As news of Mukulu’s capture reached the international press, reports confirmed that the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) took control of a camp of Ugandan ADF rebels in Baruku, located between the Bango and Semuliki rivers in the Congolese city of Beni in North Kivu.

General Akili Muhindo, Commander of the ‘Sokola 1’ military operation stated that the deputy commander of the ADF, Muzamir Kiribaki Kasadha was killed during the fighting.

Other security sources have confirmed that following three days of heavy fighting, the FARDC recovered several weapons, a large reserve of ammunition, large quantities of machetes and several ADF instruction documents from the rebel camp in Baruku.

Sylvain Muyali

Sylvain Muyali is a Journalist, Photographer and Filmmaker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has reported previously for the Associated Press and his words and images can also be found at ‘Vivons Positivement‘