Congo Brazzaville, Togolese Presidents Commend Operation Shujaa

Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda,  Dennis Sassou-Nguesso (Republic of Congo), Felix Tshisekedi (Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC) and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma (Togo) cited the military offensive launched by UPDF and FARDC as one of the pre-eminent initiatives launched to stabilize the political and security situation in the Great Lakes Region.

The presidents were on February 11 hosted by Sassou-Nguesso for a mini-summit on peace and security in the region.

According to a joint statement,  Sassou-Nguesso and Eyadéma "reiterated their full support to the military joint operations by the two countries".

Dubbed Operation Shujaa, the military campaign launched on December 1 is aimed at eradicating Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Muslim Tabliq Movement, and other negative forces from Eastern DRC where they were camping to destabilize Kinshansha and Kampala.

Now in Phase II, the operation, according to the Commander of Land Forces Lt. Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has pulled off achievements "very few armies in history have ever achieved".

"Our enemies are for sure now regretting attacking us!" he tweeted recently, citing key areas in the Eastern Province of the Congo that FARDC and UPDF had captured.

President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of UPDF, recently noted assured a visiting delegation of security chiefs from DR Congo that the rebel outfit that had terrorized the two East African nations for over two decades would be defeated.

”ADF is nothing, we shall defeat them. I want to thank H.E [Félix] Tshisekedi [DRC President] for having allowed us to work with our brothers to finish that little problem,” Museveni said while speaking at the 36th NRM/NRA Victory Day celebrations at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.

The joint statement noted that the four presidents will be meeting regularly to strengthen dialogue on political, security and other regional issues.