Uganda president says ex-Congo leader gave sanctuary to Islamist rebels

FILE PHOTO: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (not pictured) during his official visit at the State House in Entebbe, Uganda, on July 12, 2023. Iran's Presidency/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's President Yoweri has accused a former leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, of giving sanctuary to Islamist fighters and allowing them to exploit minerals and timber and use the proceeds to build their strength.

A former Uganda-based rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS) in 2019, has been operating in the jungles of the east of neighbouring Congo for years, carrying out killings of both civilians and security personnel.