General information
Part of Conflict: Uganda: Government
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1996-01-01
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: ADF was created in September 1995. In 1996, sometime after the legislative elections in June, the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) claimed that the presidential and legislative elections of that year had been rigged.
Date of first use of armed force: 1996-11-13
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 13 November 1996, rebels who later came to be known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) infiltrated Uganda from Zaire and captured the towns of Mpondwe and Bwera. Reports of the events on that day are confused, but it seems clear that at least 3 people died in the fighting.
First Battle Related Death: 1996-11-13
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On 13 November 1996, rebels who later came to be known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) infiltrated Uganda from Zaire and captured the towns of Mpondwe and Bwera. Reports of the events on that day are confused, but it seems clear that at least 3 people died in the fighting.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1996-11-16
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: After three days of fighting, on 16 November 1996, the death toll had climbed well above the 25 battle-related death threshold.
Conflict issues
Conflict Goal Issues: The Alliance for Democratic Forces (ADF) was a Muslim rebel group that emerged in 1996 as a coalition of several previously existing rebel groups. Whilst the group has been active in Uganda for many years, severe underreporting has made the project incapable of adequately coding statements pertaining to conflict issues. Therefore, the only interpreted issue was the group’s official call for overthrowing the Ugandan government in 1997, which was coded for 1996.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: The project coded no statements from ADF pertaining to conflict dynamics issues.
Conflict Resolution Issues: The project coded no statements from ADF pertaining to conflict resolution issues.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Oust full executive
Conflict Dynamics Issues:
Conflict Resolution Issues:
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1995
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
1996
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 381 |
| Best | 381 |
| Low | 381 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
1997
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 381 |
| Best | 351 |
| Low | 351 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
1998
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 394 |
| Best | 284 |
| Low | 284 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
1999
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 355 |
| Best | 355 |
| Low | 355 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2000
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 226 |
| Best | 224 |
| Low | 224 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2001
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 79 |
| Best | 79 |
| Low | 79 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2002
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 76 |
| Best | 76 |
| Low | 76 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2005
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2006
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 38 |
| Best | 22 |
| Low | 22 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2007
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 147 |
| Best | 91 |
| Low | 91 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2008
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2009
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2010
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 89 |
| Best | 87 |
| Low | 87 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2011
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 80 |
| Best | 72 |
| Low | 72 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2012
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 22 |
| Best | 22 |
| Low | 22 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2013
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 71 |
| Best | 53 |
| Low | 53 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2014
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1004 |
| Best | 835 |
| Low | 835 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2015
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 227 |
| Best | 197 |
| Low | 162 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2016
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 143 |
| Best | 142 |
| Low | 142 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2017
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 149 |
| Best | 141 |
| Low | 141 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2018
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2019
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2020
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2021
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 2 |
| Best | 2 |
| Low | 2 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): Government of DR Congo (Zaire)
Side B (ADF): n/a
2022
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2023
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2024
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
2025
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Uganda): n/a
Side B (ADF): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1995 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1996 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The first ADF attack on Uganda was carried out on 13 November 1996. The attack on Ugandan border-posts were carried out from ADF bases in Zaire. Attacks on border posts, and the Ugandan army (UPDF) camps continued and the Ugandan army crossed into eastern Zaire seized the border town Kasindi and attacked ADF camps in Zaire.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1997 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 1997 ADF continued their attacks on Uganda In June they managed to occupy Bundibugyo for several hours before retreating into the Ruwenzori mountain range on the border between DR Congo (Zaire) and Uganda. ADF carried out numerous small-scale incursions in the Kabarole, Bundibugiyo and Kasese districts of Uganda.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: However, in August 1997 it was reported that President Yoweri Museveni had said that he was willing to pardon fighters from the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) who turned themselves in. In October 1997 the ADF sent a list of preconditions for peace talks to President Yoweri Museveni. These included: power-sharing with the rebel groups, suspension of the countrys 1995 consitution that bars all political parties from operating and that the government should free all caprtured rebels and supporters of the rebels. There was no response from the Ugandan government.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1998 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: ADF continued to carry out incursions in the Kabarole, Bundibugiyo and Kasese districts of Uganda. ADF attacks against civilians increased (see ADF - civilians) and the group claimed responsibility for a number of bomb-attacks in Kampala.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1999 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: Uganda launched 'Operation Mountain Sweep' against ADF in November 1999 targeting the groups bases in in the Ruwenzori Mountains on the border between DR Congo and Uganda.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: In November 1999 it was reported that the Chairman of the Ugandan district of Kasese, Yokas Mikande, and the Busongora South Minister of Parliament, Christopher Kibanzanga, had held 7 peace meetings with commanders of the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) in eastern DR Congo. The talks concerned the possibility of bringing peace to the Ruwenzori region in western Uganda. It seems that the talks commenced after the ADF sent a letter to the Ugandan army saying that they were ready to stop fighting. Commenting on the letter, a senior army commander stated that the government was willing to negotiate with the ADF.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2000 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: Operation Mountain Sweep continued in 2000 and The government of Uganda clashed with ADF on both sides of the DR Congo - Uganda border.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2001 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni declared the war against the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) to be over in February 2001 after defeating the group in battles during Operation Mountain Sweep. On 24 March a new offensive code-named Operation Maliza tried to target the last remnants of the group in the Rwenzori region on both sides of the DR Congo - Uganda border.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2002 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2002-12-31
Comment on Termination: Uganda was forced to withdraw from Congolese territory in 2003. ADF, although a diminished force survived and hid in the Rwenzori mountains.
2005 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In December 2005 the Congolese army (FARDC) and MONUC launched a joint military offensive, the North Night Final, against ADF. DR Congo was not a secondary warring party to Uganda in 2005 so the violence are not included in this dyad, but it reactivated the conflict. ADF dispersed further into the Rwenzori mountains to establish new bases on the Ugandan side of the border.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2006 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The rebel group ADF had been severely weakened in 2001, when it was dislodged from its bases in the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda and pursued deep into Congolese territory by the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF). In 2006, the group resurfaced. A small remnant had remained in Congo’s Ituri district, re-grouping and conscripting new fighters. In December 2005 the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and Congolese troops launched an operation to rout both them and other dissident forces in the border areas. As a result, a group of around 40 ADF rebels in late March fled into Uganda, via Semliki National Park. The rebels hid in the Bugoma forest, covering parts of Hoima and Kibale districts and during the year, there were sporadic reports of clashes with the UPDF. However, the death toll did not exceed the 25 battle-related death threshold.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2007 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In 2007, ADF resurfaced. Latest active in 2002, the group had since been dormant in eastern DR Congo. The ADF proved analysts who had proclaimed the group defeated or defunct wrong in early 2007, when the group once again entered Uganda. According to army spokesmen, the ADF had been regrouping and recruiting children to resume rebel activities in Rwenzori Mountains on the border between DR Congo and Uganda, and subsequently in March sent an advance group into Uganda to set up bases in Bundibugyo. However, the advance group was intercepted by the Ugandan army and fighting ensued.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: While no negotiations took place between the two parties during the year, there were reports in December that the rebel group was seeking talks with the government. This information was confirmed by the head of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping force in DRC, Ms Olamide Adedeji, who stated that MONUC’s political section had been in contact with the ADF leadership, who reportedly wanted to negotiate peace and go home.
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2007-12-31
2008 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2009 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: ADF and the Ugandan government held talks in August 2009 at Kisangani, DR Congo. A first meeting were held on 5 and 6 August 2009 when the Ugandan Government delegation led by the Head of Political Affairs of the Ugandan Embassy in Kinshasha, Mr. Steven Muhumuza, and the ADF, led by Mr. Mwana Lukwago, Head of The Military Staff discussed peaceful ways and means to resolve the conflict. The Ugandan amnesty law and DDR criteria were presented and ADF presented a list of requests for their fighters.
New talks were held on 18-20 August. During the meeting, the Government of Uganda and ADF agreed to continue the dialogue under the auspices of MONUC and to formally constitute their respective negotiation teams. ADF also agreed to release 34 Ugandan combatants with their dependents and 31 Congolese combatants. The parties together with MONUC would jointly visit sites proposed as Transit and Reception Centers.
In October ADF named a 10-man delegation to represent them in the talks, suggested to be held in Kinshasa. The Government of Uganda expressed no objection to Kinshasa hosting the peace talks but questioned the seriousness of the ADF to talk peace.
Terminated: NO
2010 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: After reports surfaced that ADF was escalating its training and recruitment in Beni region in Nord Kivu, DR Congo cooperation between Uganda and DR Congo on the issue intensified. In February the two governments agreed to exchange information on ADF and the Congolese army (FARDC) began planning for a military operation. In June a new meeting was held between the heads of states and pledges were made to have a coordinated approach to address ADF. Subsequently, on 25 June, the Congolese army launched ‘Operation Rwenzori’ against ADF. Fighting was fierce and caused some 100 000 civilians to be displaced in Beni territory. When the violence de-escalated in August, it was clear that the first phase of the operation had had limited success and the Congolese army had suffered high casualties.
Nevertheless, a second phase of the operation was launched in September, and this time FARDC managed to secure control of the main ADF bases. It was debated, however, if the scattering of the rebels was due to pressure from FARDC, or if it was a strategic choice by the ADF leadership. Most analysts agree, however, that as time passed, the rebels adopted a successful proactive defense strategy, carrying out ambushes on FARDC positions and at times regaining control over previous strongholds.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: In November ADF issued a fresh request for a truce, signaling its willingness to enter into peace talks with the government. The government answered favorably, but also indicated that its patience was limited as nothing had come of previous similar initiatives. Little information is available on what happened next, but there were no indications of negotiations being initiated during 2010.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2011 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The Congolese army continued its offensive against ADF in 2011. Named “Operation Rwenzori”, it led to the scattering of the rebels, as FARDC (Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo: Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) seized control over the main ADF bases. Most analysts agree, however, that as time passed, the rebels adopted a successful proactive defense strategy, carrying out ambushes on FARDC positions and at times regaining control over previous strongholds. The increasingly mobile character of ADF in 2011 meant that the group also appeared in the Ituri province of DR Congo.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: Rumors that ADF had asked the Ugandan government for peace talks circulated in 2011, but these were dismissed by the country’s Defense Minister Crispus Kiyonga
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: No or Low Activity
Date of termination: 2011-12-31
2012 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: ADF saw an initial onslaught by DR Congo forces – allied with Uganda in the fight against LRA – during the first months of the year, but when the M23 rebellion broke out (see DR Congo: government), their focus shifted and fighting died down. There were no military confrontations between the Ugandan government and ADF during the year, as the UPDF were not allowed to enter the ADF affected areas of DR Congo. Subsequently, the conflict between Uganda and its allies and the ADF was not recorded as active in 2012.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2013 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: During 2013 ADF increased its activities again and many analysts agreed that the group displayed improved fighting abilities as well as increased strength. The rebels became more aggressive and aside from attacking Congolese government troops (FARDC), the group’s fighters targeted schools, medical facilities and peacekeepers and also stepped up kidnapping campaigns.
The first months of the year only saw sporadic clashes between the parties, but in June ADF stepped up attacks on FARDC positions along the Mbau- Kamango road, killing several soldiers and forcing FARDC to abandon outposts. The following month the rebels also attacked a number of villages in the area, as well as Kamongo town where they looted administration buildings and the hospital. As a result, over 60 000 people fled across the border into Uganda, and a large area was depopulated which the rebels have since retained control over despite being ousted from the towns.
In December, in anticipation of a large-scale government offensive, ADF evacuated its main bases and relocated to a number of smaller ones. They also moved troops to large towns in the area. On 25 December they launched a new attack on Kamongo, killing many civilians before being forced out by FARDC (for the attacks on civilians, see ADF – civilians). Two days later the Congolese army declared the launching of Operation Sokolo – meaning to “clean out” in the Lingala language – but operations were delayed following the assassination of a key Congolese military leader, Col. Mamadou Ndala.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: In July, Crispus Kiyonga, Uganda’s Minister for Defence, told the Ugandan parliament that the government agreed, “in principle”, to initiate talks with ADF if the group so wished. However, there were no overtures from the rebel group during the year and no negotiations took place.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2014 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The government offensive – named Operation Sokola (or Sukola I) – was launched in January 2014 and continued through the following months. Supported by the UN troops stationed in DR Congo, the Congolese army (FARDC) told of big successes and reports yet again said that the rebels were on the run. For several months after the offensive, the situation in the region as calm and there was a glimmer of hope that the group had in fact been defeated this time. However, these hopes were dashed in October when ADF launched a new wave of attacks against the civilian population in the region (see ADF – civilians).
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2015 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: In April 2015, ADF suffered a substantial set back when its leader Jamil Mukulu was arrested in Tanzania. He has since then been handed over to Uganda, where he is charged with mass murder and crimes against humanity. According to ADF defectors, this had a significant impact on the scattered ADF groups, given that there was no longer a clear centralized leadership.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2016 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: By late 2016, the ADF groups remained dispersed, with a number of sub-factions having crystalized. Despite the limited central command and control, the various factions remained a threat to both the military and the civilian population. During 2016, the Congolese military, supported by UN troops, carried out two large-scale operations against ADF factions. Both times, they were able to evict the rebels from their Madina II bases, east of Mayi Moya in Beni territory. However, on both occasions, FARDC withdrew after the operations and ADF fighters were able to re-occupy the camps.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2017 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: The conflict over government in Uganda terminated in 2017 after ADF's leader Bakulu pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the main faction of ADF becoming a wilayat under the Islamic State( ISCAP). An insignificant part of the group remained loyal to Jamil Mukulu and they broke away from IS and continued ADF under a commander known as Muzaaya. In a rare event Uganda launched operation Tuugo targeting ADF/IS in the DR Congo border area.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Other
Date of termination: 2017-10-31
Comment on Termination: In October 2017 the main part of ADF transformed into IS leaving only a small faction of Mukulu loyalists led by Muzaaya refused to become part of the Islamic State. The ADF faction, led by Muzaaya, Kisokeranio and Hassan Nyanzi alias Isaac, cohabited with the Islamic State in the Rwenzori area on the border between DR Congo and Uganda. ADF and IS were both targeted in the October 2019 bombings by the Ugandan army and in 2021 an encounter between the government of Uganda and ADF was reported south-west of the Kambi Ya Yua river. After the Government of DR Congo captured one of the top ADF commanders, Benjamin Kisokeranio, in January 2022 the group disbanded, either by integrating into IS or surrendering to the government of DR Congo.
2018 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2019 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Not terminated
Date of termination: 2019-07-24
2020 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2021 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2022 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2023 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2024 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
2025 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
