Allied Democratic Forces insurgency

ADF insurgency refers to the ongoing rebellion of the Allied Democratic Forces in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo directed against the governments of the two countries. The insurgency began in 1996, intensifying in 2013, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

Background
The ADF was formed by Jamil Mukulu a conservative Muslim Ugandan of the Tabliq sect. ADF merged with the remnants of another rebel group, the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda, during the years following the fall of Idi Amin. Funded by the illegal mining and logging industries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ADF created 15 well organised camps in the DRC-Uganda border areas. The insurgence remained unaffected by government amnesty and talk efforts, as members married local women.

According to intelligence sources, ADF has collaborated with al-Shabaab and Lord's Resistance Army.Receiving training and logistic support.

Formed in 1995, ADF carried its first attack on 13 November 1996.The conflict gradually intensified, culminating in the 1998 Kichwamba Technical College attack, which left 80 people dead, with 80 more being abducted. The insurgency continued on a smaller scale until 2013.2013 marked a resurgence of ADF activity, launched a recruitment campaign along with numerous attacks.

1996
On 13 November 1996, ADF perpetrated its first attack on the towns of Bwera and Mpondwe-Lhubiriha in Kasese district, Uganda.Approximately 50 people were killed in the attack.25000 people fled the towns, before they were recaptured by Ugandan troops.

1998
On 20 February 1998, ADF abducted 30 children, in the aftermath of an attack on a Seventh-Day Adventist College in Mitandi, Kasese district.

On 4 April 1998, 5 people were killed and at least 6 were wounded, when bombs exploded at two restaurants in Kampala.

On 8 June 1998, ADF rebels killed 80 students of the Kichwamba Technical College in the Kabarole, Uganda.80 students were abducted in the same raid.

In June 1998, ADF rebels abducted over l00 school children from a school in Hoima, Uganda.

In August 1998, 30 people were killed in three separate bus bombings, perpetrated by ADF.

1999
Between 10 April 1999 - 30 May 1999 ADF carried seven attacks, resulting in 11 dead and 42 wounded.

On 9 December, 1999, ADF attacked the Katojo prison facility, releasing 360 prisoners sentenced for terrorism.

2007 to 2008
During March 2007, the UPDF engaged incursive ADF groups in multiple firefights, killing at least 46 in Bundibugyo and Mubende districts. The biggest battle occurred on March 27, when the UPDF faced an estimated 60 ADF troops and killed 34, including three senior commanders. The UPDF claimed to have retrieved numerous weapons as well as documents that tie the ADF to the LRA.

On 13 April 2007, the UPDF and ADF engaged in an intense battle inside the Semuliki National Park, near the upscale Semliki Lodge tourist destination.

Ceasefire and amnesty talks between the government of Uganda and the ADF were held in Nairobi starting in May 2008. Negotiations were complicated by the fragmentation of the ADF's leadership. Non-combatant dependents of the ADF were repatriated to Uganda by the IOM. At least 48 ADF fighters surrendered and were given amnesty. As the threat from the LRA in the DRC waned, the UPDF put increasing focus on the ADF as a reason for UPDF personnel to remain in the DRC.

On 4 December, 2007, 200 ADF and NALU militants surrendered to Ugandan authorities.

2012
Between February–March 2012, over 60 ADF insurgents were arrested within Uganda.

2013
In April 2013, it was reported that ADF started a recruitment campaign in Kampala and other parts of the country. Citing a defector from ADF, "allAfrica" reported that some 10 new recruits joined ADF forces every day.

In July 2013, the ADF renewed its fighting in the Congolese district of Beni. According to the UN Radio Okapi, the ADF together with the NALU, fought a pitched battle with the FARD, briefly taking the towns of Mamundioma and Totolito. On July 11, the ADF attacked the town of Kamango, triggering the flight of over 60,000 refugees across the border into the Ugandan district of Bundibugyo.

Early in September 2013, regional leaders under the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) asked the recently formed combative Intervention Brigade under MONUSCO to attack positions of foreign negative forces operating in DRC, including the ADF.

On 23 September 2013, 3 people were killed during an ADF attack in the Watalinga Sector, North Kivu, DRC.

On 27 September 2013, ADF militants killed 5 and abducted 30 people, after an attack on a health center in the city of Maleki, DRC.

In the period between November 2012 and November 2013, ADF carried out 300 kidnappings.

On 14 December 2013, 13 people were killed, in the aftermath of an ADF attack on the Musuku village, Uganda.

On 15 December 2013, ADF killed 8 people in the Biangolo village, Uganda.

On 25 December 2013, ADF rebels attacked the city of Kamango,DRC.In the aftermath of the attack, over 50 civilians were killed and many buildings were burnt down.The city was retaken by the Congolese army the following day.

On 29 December 2013, ADF rebels launched another attack on the city of Kamango.The ADF militants beheaded 21 civilian and urged the residents of the city to flee to Uganda.

2014
On 17 January 2014, the Congolese army drove ADF militants soldiers out of the city of Beni, with the aid of UN’s “Intervention Brigade” peace corps.

Between 5-8 October, 2014, ADF militants killed 15 people, within the North Kivu province, DRC.

On 15 October, 2014, ADF rebels killed 27 people in an attack on villages, located outside Beni.

On 18 October, 2014, ADF insurgents killed over 20 people, in an attack on the village of Byalos, DRC.

On 31 October, 2014, a crowd stoned to death, burned and then ate a suspected ADF insurgent in the town of Beni.The incident came after a number of ADF raids, that brought the October's civilian death toll to over 100 people.

On 20 November, 2014, rebels disguised as Congolese soldiers killed between 50 and 80 people near Beni.