Uganda said on Friday that its troops sent this week into eastern Democratic Republic of Congo would stay as long as needed to defeat Islamist militants, with the progress of the mission to be evaluated after two months.
Uganda and Congo launched a joint operation this week, but have so far shared few details about its size or expected duration, even as some voiced alarm about the presence of Ugandan troops on Congolese soil.
In its first clear indication of the duration of the planned operation, Uganda's Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the operation would be reviewed after two months to gauge its progress against the ADF. Hundreds of Ugandan soldiers and dozens of armoured vehicles have been seen crossing the border at Nobili since the offensive started on Nov 30.The two security sources with knowledge of the mission said another 300 Ugandan troops were expected to arrive imminently.
Congo's government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the number of Ugandan soldiers in Congo.