Monday, April 20, 2026
Ugandan military reports rescue of 200 ADF hostages in DRC....Islamists!
Ugandan military reports rescue of 200 ADF hostages in DRC
Ugandan and Congolese soldiers rescued at least 200 civilians in a raid on an Islamist camp in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week, Uganda's military said in a statement.
The Ugandan People's Defense Forces (UPDF) said the raid targeted a Ugandan group operating in eastern Congo, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which pledged allegiance to the self-styled "Islamic State" some decade ago.
What did the UPDF military say about the operation?
The military said that the raid targeted a camp along the River Epulu in the east of the DRC.
It was part of the joint "Operation Shujaa," between the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) that had "intensified" since January of this year, the military said, "leading to significant gains."
The camp was under the control of what the UPDF termed a "notorious ADF commander, Ssebagala, also known as Mzee Mayor."
It said that several ADF fighters were killed and a cache of weapons were recovered during the raid.
More than 200 civilians were released from captivity, with a 14-year-old girl the youngest of the captives.
The Overall Joint Commander of Operation Shujaa, Major General Stephen Mugerwa, was quoted as telling the rescued civilians that they were not in detention and urging them to cooperate.
"You are not under detention. You are the victims of abduction, and we shall ensure you are handed over to the relevant authorities so you can reunite with your families," Mugerwa said.
According to the military, many of the captives recounted harsh conditions, a lack of food, forced labor and punishment for disobedience during their captivity.
"Several appeared frail, suffering from untreated illnesses such as malaria, respiratory infections and physical exhaustion," the UPDF said.
Uganda reports improved conditions in DRC areas once held by ADF
Last week's offense also targeted other ADF positions, including areas along the River Ituri, the UPDF said.
Uganda and DRC forces have stepped up operations against the ADF in recent months, partly amid somewhat reduced tensions on another eastern DRC frontier not far to the south — with the M23 rebels allegedly supported by neighboring Rwanda. A fragile peace accord for that conflict came into force this year.
The UPDF said that amid the recent military gains against the ADF, more former captives had been escaping from the group, with "dozens ... reporting to joint force locations such as Lolwa, Kyndala Kundala and Babungwe."
"The sustained offensive has improved security in parts of eastern DRC, enabling displaced communities to return home, schools to reopen, and cross-border trade between Uganda and the DRC to resume," the UPDF said.
Operation Shujaa was first launched in November 2021, in response to attacks by the ADF committed on either side of the countries' border.
Recognized as a terrorist group by both governments and the US, and subject to UN sanctions, the ADF started more openly allying itself to the Islamic State as of 2016, shortly after its leadership changed. The so-called Islamic State did not start formally claiming its attacks within its central media until 2019.
Edited by: Rana Taha
Illegal alien allegedly sets fire and then watches as people die in agony — but NYC officials don't want ICE to have him
An illegal alien has been accused of intentionally starting a fire in New York City that left four people dead and seven others injured. Though an alleged mass murderer, he may yet dodge federal immigration authorities, thanks to NYC officials.
Around 11:43 a.m. on March 16, Roman Amatitla, a 38-year-old Mexican in the U.S. illegally, allegedly set fire to a three-story building in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens and then, according to the office of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, stood by and "watched as the building burned."
'An act of mass murder.'
Firefighters discovered three deceased victims in the building: 49-year-old male Chengri Cui, 61-year-old female Shin Chie Ming, and Sihan Yang, a 3-year-old little girl. All three died from smoke inhalation, Katz's office said.
A fourth victim, 64-year-old male Hong Zhao, escaped the fire by jumping out of a window but sustained catastrophic injuries in the fall, including broken bones and head trauma. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Katz's office.
Seven others — including two firefighters, who endured a terrifying sudden fall to the basement when a stairway collapsed beneath them — were also injured on account of the fire.
The steps that the suspect allegedly took just before setting the fire are bone-chilling. According to the report from Katz, Amatitla:
- entered and exited the targeted building multiple times that morning,
- urinated on the outside of it,
- crossed the street to the gas station and purchased one beer and stole another,
- asked the gas station clerk for a lighter, but since lighters were available only for purchase, settled for a book of matches, and then
- returned to the building, lit a piece of paper on fire, and placed the burning paper atop garbage near the stairwell.
As smoke began to billow out onto the street, Amatitla allegedly "stayed in the immediate area and watched the fire consume the building," Katz's office said. The DA characterized the deadly fire as "an act of mass murder."
Authorities believe that the suspect selected the building entirely at random, as he "had no known connection to the building or any of its occupants."
Theodore Parisienne/New York Daily News/Getty Images
Amatitla has been charged with eight counts of murder in the second degree, arson in the first degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, and petit larceny.
Despite the severity of his alleged crimes, the Department of Homeland security claims that the NYC Department of Corrections has refused to honor a request to turn him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
"ICE ARREST DETAINER DENIED. On April 14, ICE requested the NYCDOC not release this monster from jail back into American communities. However, because of New York’s sanctuary politicians, the NYCDOC told ICE that they will REFUSE to cooperate," the DHS tweeted Friday afternoon along with an image of what appears to be the detainer request.
"This monster set fire to a building and watched as innocent people, including a three-year-old, burned to death. New York City sanctuary politicians REFUSE to cooperate with ICE and are choosing to RELEASE this MURDERER onto New York streets," DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
In a response to Blaze News, the DA's office sidestepped questions about the city's cooperation with federal authorities and said only that "the defendant is remanded and is due back in court on May 12."
An NYCDOC spokesperson told Blaze News: "The DOC processes ICE detainers consistent with local law, which defines the extent of our cooperation with federal immigration authorities."
A source familiar with the matter indicated that the NYCDOC notifies ICE about a defendant's possible release only if certain ICE warrants have been issued or the defendant has been convicted of a serious and/or violent crime within the last five years.
The DHS and the respective offices of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) did not respond to a request for comment.
As of Monday morning, Amatitla remains in custody, NYCDOC records confirm. The jail records also note that an immigration detainer has been lodged against him.
RELATED: Mamdani nailed with backlash over comments about shooting death of 7-month-old baby girl
Theodore Parisienne/New York Daily News/Getty Images
This is for all those Hamas loving American girls/women!
Sick Hamas terrorists bribe slain colleagues’ desperate widows, young moms for sex: residents
Twisted Hamas terrorists are sexually exploiting women in Gaza, bribing slain members’ desperate widows and young moms with food in exchange for sex, according to residents in the Palestinian enclave.
Harrowing interviews from the Gaza Strip reveal the scope of the rampant sexual abuse by the Iran-backed terrorists as they target vulnerable women trying to feed their families.
“It’s being done by all their employees and members, as though it’s an organization set up for sexual harassment, psychological abuse and harassing young women,” a woman told Jusoor News.
Women said the Hamas members are specifically targeting people who reached out to them in desperation, such as widows, recent divorcees and young or single mothers, promising them even simple things such as rice and sugar in exchange for sex.
“A guy will say, ‘Come, we have a relief package for you.’ He represents an Islamic organization, a movement whose name I won’t mention, but it is a political organization,” a woman told the outlet.
” ‘If you come with me and do so and so, I’ll give you so and so,’ ” Hamas members allegedly tell their victims.
“And the women, who have no life experience, end up getting exploited.”
A man who claimed to be with Hamas recalled how the wife of a friend reached out directly to his commander for help before she was taken advantaged of.
“His behavior is disgraceful,” the government employee told Jusoor. “We investigated the matter and found her in a tent in the Gharabli area where a bunch of Qassam members were taking advantage of her.
“We informed the leadership, but they told us we had to keep silent about it,” he said.
Another member of the terror group echoed the experience, saying he also was told to keep quiet after finding Hamas military members taking advantage of the wives of dead fighters in the Gharabli refugee camp.
“We told them it was an insult to honor and dignity,” the government staffer said. “We then tore down the tent, but all they wanted from us was to beat and shoot anyone who insults Hamas.”
The testimonies from Jusoor highlight similar incidents reported during the height of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza last year, where hundreds of thousands of people were at risk of hunger because of the war and aid blockade by Israel.
A 38-year-old mother of six had told The Associated Press how she was coerced into having sex with a man linked to an aid group in exchange for $30, a box of medicine and food and a promise for work that never materialized.
Humanitarian groups have warned of this outcome, which is all too common in conflict zones where there is little aid coming in.
May Golan, Israeli Minister For Social Equality & Women’s Advancement, called for scrutiny of the aid groups operating in Gaza whose members are accused of targeting women.
“One expects little from vile murderers whose only contribution to humanity is a perverse ingenuity in committing violent sexual crimes,” she told The Post of Hamas before turning to the aid groups.
“Expectations do, however, exist for aid organizations that adorn themselves with the language of human rights while in practice doing more than anyone else to sustain the forces of darkness.
“They will not awaken on their own. Their naive donors should make clear to them the standard expected of human beings,” shesaid.
The situation in Gaza underscores the sexual-assault allegations against Hamas by Israeli victims who were kidnapped during the war.
The ideological tyranny of little judges
Sable Offshore issues battle cry after Santa Barbara judge’s ruling left California’s gas lifeline in limbo
Sable Offshore Corp has issued a furious statement after a California judge ruled it did not have the right to start pumping black gold again in Santa Barbara County.
The oil giant vowed to fight the “show-cause” process in court next month and pointed out it had been given the green light to reopen by the president.
Judge Donna Geck of the Santa Barbara Superior Court said last week a state injunction on the gas giant was still in place, blocking it from restarting and handing a win to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Jeffrey Dintzer, attorney for Sable Offshore, told the California Post: “We’re disappointed that the court chose not to rescind the order.
“But we intend to fully participate in the show-cause process that the court has set up or is setting up.” He was referring to a May 22 hearing for whether Sable should be held in contempt of court.
Dintzer continued: “We hopefully will convince the court that the executive order obviously supersedes the state courts’ injunction.”
“The pipeline is still operational, and we are continuing to pump crude through the Santa Ynez system pursuant to the order of Secretary Wright who is authorized by the president.”
Last week Geck handed over a massive win for green groups and Governor Newsom where she effectively ruled Sable was breaking state law.
Talia Nimmer, staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, told the Santa Barbara Independent: “Every day that oil’s flowing through these pipelines means that Sable is in violation of the court’s preliminary injunction order.”
Back in March, Trump signed an executive order to resume oil drilling operations off the Southern California coast, citing national energy security concerns.
The order invoked the Cold War-era Defense Production Act, stemming from concerns of limited oil supply from the US war with Iran.
In response to the order, Sable Offshore resumed operations near Santa Barbara at its Santa Ynez offshore oil platform and pipeline.
The pipeline was shuttered in 2015 after a spill released thousands of barrels of crude into the Pacific Ocean.
The Santa Ynez pipeline restart “marks a 15% increase in California’s in-state oil production, which will replace almost 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude oil each month,” according to the Department of Energy.
Environmentalists and anti-Trump Democrats furiously claimed that Trump’s order was “illegal” and that any restart needed approval by state regulators. They sought the temporary injunction, granted in February.
Sable Offshore argued that Trump’s order under the Defense Production Act bypassed the court injunction. Geck in Friday’s ruling disagreed.
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