More than 200 rescued from IS-linked group in DR Congo

More than 200 civilians held captive in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo by an armed group linked to the Islamic State have been rescued in an army operation, the military in neighbouring Uganda has said.Ugandan soldiers, working with their Congolese counterparts, targeted a camp controlled by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group that has its origins in Uganda.Children were among those freed, the youngest being a 14-year-old girl, according to a Ugandan statement.The ADF was originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s by people disgruntled with the government's treatment of Muslims. But after being routed by the army there, the remnants fled across the border.In 2021, Uganda and DR Congo launched a joint offensive to drive the ADF out of their Congolese strongholds, but it has so far failed to put an end to the group's attacks.It is not clear when or where the rescued civilians were abducted but the Ugandan army statement said that those who were being held described "harsh conditions in captivity, including lack of food, forced labour and punishment for disobedience".Some also seemed frail and were suffering from malaria, breathing difficulties and exhaustion, the authorities said."You are not under detention. You are victims of abduction, and we shall ensure you are handed over to the relevant authorities so you can reunite with your families," Maj Gen Stephen Mugerwa, who leads the joint Uganda-Congolese mission, is quoted as telling those who had been freed.