A thorough look from 1995 up to the present

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) was created in 1995 and initially operated in the mountainous border region between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. According to the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (“GoE”) 2013 final report, citing Ugandan officials and UN sources, in 2013 the ADF had an estimated strength of 1,200 to 1,500 armed fighters located in north-east Beni Territory of North Kivu province, close to the border with Uganda. These same sources estimate ADF’s total membership —including women and children— to be between 1,600 and 2,500. These numbers have considerably increased in recent years.

While the ADF’s ideology has historically contained some Salafi-jihadist elements, it has also recruited along secular ethnic lines and is deeply entrenched in the broader political and economic dynamics of the Rwenzori border region between Uganda and the DRC. In 2019, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an ADF attack and first referenced a “Central Africa Province” under their control. These developments raise questions about the extent of the relationship between the ADF and the Islamic State. The ADF’s proven adaptability and resiliency likely signify a continued and potentially increasing threat to civilians, security forces, and UN peacekeepers.

The ADF has released increasing amounts of propaganda that reflects ideological alignment with the Islamic State. This includes an increased focus on efforts to kill Christian and other non-Muslim civilians. Additionally, the Islamic State’s propaganda apparatus has released multiple videos showing life inside ADF camps, including celebrations of Eid al-Adha. Within ADF camps, the organization enforces its own interpretation of sharia law and also runs an Islamic banking system into which members are obligated to deposit their money. 

The ADF has recruited and used child soldiers in violation of applicable international law.