Ugandan troops have freed a Christian woman who endured more than four years of sexual abuse and forced religious conversion efforts after being kidnapped by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
International Christian Concern (ICC) reported the rescue of Katungu Mbaka Darke on Oct. 21. She was abducted in July 2022 when ADF militants raided Lume village at approximately 9 p.m.
Darke recounted how her captors sexually abused her and attempted to force her to embrace Islam and learn passages from the Quran.
“I was still young when I was abducted,” she said in remarks published by ICC. “One of them forced me into sex. They also forced me to accept Islam and memorize some Quranic verses. I just accepted, but in my heart, I knew Jesus was God.”
Members of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces freed Darke in Ituri Province. ICC did not disclose when the rescue took place or the details of the operation.
ICC also reported that Darke had two children with an ADF fighter while being held captive.
Christian leaders in Mutwanga expressed gratitude that Darke had survived and returned. One church leader said her rescue underscored the importance of remembering those who are still missing following abductions by armed groups.
Darke’s experience highlights the threats facing civilians captured by the ADF, an Islamic State-linked armed group operating in eastern Congo.
Communities across North Kivu and Ituri provinces have suffered recurring ADF attacks that have resulted in civilian deaths, kidnappings and the displacement of families.
Amnesty International detailed numerous abuses committed by ADF militants in a May 2026 report, including killings, kidnappings, forced labor, child recruitment and sexual violence against women and girls. The organization identified civilians as a primary target of the attacks.
The United Nations has similarly documented ongoing ADF violence in Ituri and parts of North Kivu. Addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in October, the U.N. Human Rights Office reported that 319 human rights abuses attributed to the ADF between Jan. 1 and Sept. 15 had affected more than 1,500 victims.
ICC urged Christians to pray for Darke and others who remain captive and separated from their loved ones and communities.
