[5] Even after the Congolese leadership terminated its support for the ADF, the latter maintained a large presence in the eastern Congo which was repeatedly ravaged by wars as well as rebellions, becoming a haven for many different insurgent groups.

[5][7] After violent disagreements and purges in response to this move, a small faction of the ADF broke off under an individual called "Muzaaya", declaring its continued loyalty to former commander Jamil Mukulu.

Profiting from aid by IS-Central, IS-CAP quickly grew in prominence and expanded its activities, launching several high-profile attacks in the DR Congo and Uganda.

[9] In late 2021, the ADF/IS-CAP carried out a series of bombing attacks across Uganda, whereupon Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni declared that the responsible militants would be hunted down.

[6][10] Museveni subsequently met with President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Tshisekedi, and the two agreed to organize a joint operation against ADF/IS-CAP.

[15] FARDC Maj.-Gen. Bombele Lohola Camille acts as the Coordinator of the joint FARDC-UPDF military operations with Maj.-Gen. Kayanja Muhanga as his assistant.

[9] Below these chief commanders served a number of important IS-CAP officers during the offensive: These included Meddie Nkalubo, reportedly second-in-command,[2] and Elias Segujja (alias Mulalo" / "Fezza"), head of the group's "political wing" and the "Southern Sector/Rwenzori-Mwalika".

[3] At times, Operation Shujaa has also targeted rebel groups unrelated to IS and ADF, such as the Force Patriotique et Intégrationniste du Congo (FPIC) and CODECO.

[3] In January 2022, leading IS-CAP member Salim Mohammed and PULI commander Benjamin Kisokeranio were captured by security forces in the eastern DR Congo.

This was supposed to create an interconnected corridor covering Mbau, Ouicha, Eringeti, Kainama, Tchabi, Olamoyo, the Semuliki Bridge, and Mukakati.

[22] During the following month, government forces involved in Operation Shujaa clashed with the FPIC rebel group due to attempts by the latter to steal cattle from local civilians.

[11] UPDF head Kainerugaba also claimed that the rebel presence at Semuliki Bridge, Kambi ya Yua, Belu I, II et III, Tondoli, Kainama, and Boga et Tshabi had been eliminated.

[3] In November, Uganda announced that it would send an additional 1,000 troops into eastern Congo to help counter another rebel group, the March 23 Movement,[12] and also bombed a major IS-CAP camp under Segujja.

Aside of a few PULI members who fled and surrendered to government forces, the splinter group was eliminated by Segujja's raid; the survivors (including Nyanzi) yielded and joined IS-CAP.

[3] In the next month, government aircraft reportedly bombed IS-CAP targets and killed Segujja during clashes in the Mwalika valley, though his death could not be confirmed.

The raiders subsequently retreated back through the Bashu Chiefdom in largely good order, while losing a few fighters to clashes with the FARDC, police, and village militias.

[25] By September, President Museveni claimed that 560 ADF/IS-CAP members had been killed so far during Operation Shujaa, and urged the DR Congo to mobilize local militias to prevent the rebels from reentering secured areas.

[28] In 2022, the Ebuteli Institute and Center on International Cooperation's Congo Research Group reported that outside observers were critical of Operation Shujaa, with one diplomat likening it to "trying to kill a mosquito with a hammer" and an analyst describing it as merely "a lot of dust and noise".

[13] Furthermore, the Ebuteli Institute and Congo Research Group argued that the location and scope of the operation possibly hinted at ulterior Ugandan motives connected to economic interests in the wider area.