A Department of Homeland Security Emeritus Center of Excellence led by the University of Maryland

BAAD - Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) - 2012

 

Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)

The Allied Democratic Forces, known as Forces Démocratiques Alliées (ADF), formed in 1996 from an alliance of several armed groups, mainly the National Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (Armée Nationale de Libération de l’Ouganda or NALU), opposed to the Ugandan government of President Yoweri Museveni and his marginalization of the Ugandan Muslim community.[1] The group felt it was sidelined by Museveni’s policies, and its leader, Jamil Mukulu, founded ADF for the purpose of establishing an Islamic state in accordance with sharia law in Uganda.[2] However, some scholars argue that the group’s ties to radical Islam are superficial, and this connection is emphasized in the context of larger regional and global conflicts to contain radical Islamist groups.[3] After its founding the group launched a six-year campaign of violence in Uganda, targeting Ugandan villages as well as the capital, until it was driven into eastern DRC by the Ugandan army in 2002.[4] ADF continued to attack Ugandan targets from its bases in eastern DRC.[5]

The Ugandan government has employed several different strategies to weaken ADF, including attempts at negotiation with ADF members, as well as offering to include them in Uganda’s amnesty program.[6] However, these initiatives have mostly failed. Due to ADF’s increased activity in DRC, the Congolese government has become more active in attempting to counter ADF. The government has put in place a disarmament program known as Safisha Ruwenzori, and has also launched military operations, such as Operation Ruwenzori in 2010 aimed at capturing ADF camps and cutting off the group’s supply lines.[7] ADF still remains a security risk for both DR Congo and Uganda, and both countries are actively cooperating with each other, as well as with regional partners, to reduce the threat posed by the group.[8] View full narrative

Quick Facts for 2012

Founded:
1996

Fatalities:
170 (Total of 1998 through 2012)

Ideologies:
Religious

Strength:
1,000-1,200

Territorial Control:
Does Not Control Territory (0)

Funding through Drug Trafficking:
No

Sorry, but there are no organizational details available for this group at this time.

Legend

Primary Ideology

  • Ag = Anti-Globalization
  • An = Anarchist
  • En = Ethnic
  • Ev = Environmental
  • Le = Leftist
  • Re = Religious
  • Ri = Rightist
  • Se = Separatist
  • Su = Supremacist
  • Vi = Vigilante

Relationship

  •  Ally
  •  Suspected Ally
  •  Rival
  •  Violence
  •  Mixed Relations

Lethality

  •  Blue 0 - 1479 fatalities
  •  Green 1479 - 2958 fatalities
  •  Yellow 2958 - 4437 fatalities
  •  Orange 4437 - 5916 fatalities
  •  Red 5916 - 7396 fatalities

Lethality is calculated as the total number of fatalities from 1998-2012.

Strength

Icon sizes depict approximate relative sizes of the organizations.

  • Smallest 0 - 10 members
  •   11 - 100 members
  •   101 - 1000 members
  •   1001 - 10000 members
  • Largest > 10000 members

Other Notes

Icons with no color coding or ideology icon have no detailed data at this time, and are provided as relationship information only.