KAMPALA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military said Sunday that it will continue joint operations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group despite the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the neighboring country.
Chris Magezi, acting spokesperson for the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF), told Xinhua by telephone that there have been no calls for an immediate halt to military operations, as the ADF continues to kill and abduct civilians in eastern DRC.
His remarks came after World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday appealed to armed groups operating in eastern DRC to declare a ceasefire to enable health workers to access affected communities and help contain the spread of Ebola.
"The UPDF will continue operations against ADF remnants while observing Ebola prevention measures and maintaining Ebola SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)," Magezi said.
Ugandan troops, together with their Congolese counterparts, launched joint military operations against the rebel group in November 2021.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in the DRC, Ghebreyesus said the Ebola outbreak in the central African country is "very complex," noting that conflict, insecurity, displacement, food shortages and community mistrust are hampering efforts to contain the disease. ■