| Uganda Muslim Liberation Army | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1995 (1995)–1996 (1996) |
| Headquarters | Buganda |
| Active regions | Uganda–Zaire border |
| Ideology | Muslim interests inBuganda |
| Allies |  Sudan (alleged by Uganda) |
| Opponents |  Uganda |
Succeeded by Allied Democratic Forces | |
TheUganda Muslim Liberation Army (abbreviatedUMLA) was aMuslim rebel group inUganda. Its fighters were mainly from among theBaganda ethnic group's Muslim minority along with some non-Baganda Muslims.[1] The group was formed in 1995 in opposition to the Museveni government after accusing it of persecuting Muslims inBuganda.[2]
The UMLA formally declared war onYoweri Museveni's Ugandan government in January 1995.[3] In February 1995, the group launched its first military operations nearLake Albert, which failed and resulted in their retreat toZaire (present-day theDemocratic Republic of Congo).[1]
Museveni denounced the rebels asIslamic fundamentalists, whose sole purpose was to destabilize theGreat Lakes Region as "agents of [Sudan's]NIF government". The self-proclaimed purpose of the UMLA was to topple Museveni's government and stop the alleged mistreatment of Muslims in Buganda by them.[2] The UMLA claimed that Museveni'sNational Resistance Army (NRA) had committedwar crimes andmassacres against Muslims during theUgandan Bush War, a claim which Museveni denies.[3]
In 1996, the UMLA merged with theAllied Democratic Movement, remnants of theNational Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU), and militant members of the localTablighi Jamaat to form theAllied Democratic Forces, allegedly with assistance from theSudanese government.[4] Despite not waging a significant insurgency, the group was a primary focus of bitter relations between the Sudanese and Ugandan governments.[2]