By Ayub Kirinya
BUTALEJA
Police have burst a suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) breeding cells in Butaleja district rescuing over 60 victims.
The operation was conducted by Police in collaboration with the crime intelligence officers from the CID headquarters.
The security teams on Friday, 3rd, February, 2023 raided Nabala village, Bubinge parish in Nawanjjofu sub-county in Butaleja district and rescued 61 suspected victims. Among the victims are children between the ages of three weeks to 80 years. 17 of the victims are female and 44 are males bringing the number to 61.
Briefing the media at Butaleja Police Station on Saturday, Moses Mugwe, the Bukedi south Police spokesperson, said the police also managed to arrest six suspects one being a woman and five men during the operation.
He identified the team leader as Mansur Musinguzi. The suspects are said to be members of a terror group which the government accuses of being behind attacks metted on Police posts across the country.
According to Mugwe, the Police and CMI operatives upon intelligence led information burst the cell on suspicion that they have been training and breeding ADF rebels adding that the victims who are mainly children and young teen girls have been sexually molested.
He said the arrested suspects have been charged with terrorism and aggravated human trafficking.
Residents say the group has not been associating with other community members.
Jenifer Mugobye, a Village Health Team member said that group isolated themselves from others.
The LCI Chairperson of Nabala A village, John Mulonda said that the group started as a Tabliq sect.
The ADF, a terror group operating in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is accused of killing 147 people in 30 terror attacks between July 2001 and January 2021.
