Forty-three former hostages of Islamic State-linked rebels were freed by the armies of DR Congo and Uganda and have now returned to civilian life, according to the Congolese army.
On Tuesday, the DRC’s armed forces held a ceremony in Beni for the 43 civilians, including 16 women and 24 children, who were captured by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
Released six months ago in a joint military operation, the civilians will receive support from civil society organizations, while the United Nations will assist the children.
Lieutenant-Colonel Mak Hazukay said the army had to carefully separate the civilians before handing them over to the proper institutions for rehabilitation.
The ADF, initially Ugandan rebels, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019 and continues to launch deadly attacks in eastern DRC, despite ongoing military offensives.
