Uganda’s military reported killing 242 fighters from the Congolese rebel group CODECO after responding to attacks on its camp in eastern Congo earlier this week. However, CODECO disputed the figures, claiming minimal losses.
According to Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson Chris Magezi, the clashes occurred on Wednesday and Thursday after hundreds of CODECO fighters attacked a Ugandan military post in Fataki, a locality in Congo’s Ituri province. Ugandan troops retaliated, killing 31 rebels on the first day and 211 on the second. Magezi, in a post on X late Friday, said one Ugandan soldier died, and four others were wounded.
CODECO spokesperson Basa Zukpa Gerson denied this account on Saturday. He claimed that the group lost only two fighters and alleged that Uganda suffered more casualties. A United Nations source, who requested anonymity, gave a different estimate, reporting that 70 rebels and 12 Ugandan soldiers were killed.
Hostilities reportedly continued into Saturday morning, according to CODECO and a local civil society leader. CODECO, which claims to protect Lendu farmers from Hema herders, is one of several armed groups fighting over land and resources in eastern Congo. Although its initial focus was defending local farmers, the group has expanded its operations, contributing to increased violence in the region.
Eastern Congo remains unstable, with militias fighting for control over land and valuable resources such as gold and tantalum. The situation has worsened this year as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels intensified their offensive, capturing key territories.
Uganda deployed troops to eastern Congo in 2021 to help the Congolese government combat the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to the Islamic State. Recently, UPDF forces moved into northern Ituri to prevent ADF infiltration and stop the flow of Congolese refugees into Uganda, Magezi stated.
The recent clashes highlight the fragile security situation in eastern Congo, where multiple armed groups continue to destabilize the region, making peace and stability elusive.