Uganda will attack the town of Bunia in neighbouring eastern Congo unless "all forces" there surrender their arms within 24 hours, the chief of Ugandan defence forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said in a post on X on Saturday.

The development comes days after Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said UPDF would deploy in Bunia, which is located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Congo’s border with Uganda, unless "all forces" there surrendered.

Uganda deployed more forces to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighting the growing risk of a widening conflict in the unrest-prone, mineral-rich region.

Ugandan forces have entered the city of Bunia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the request of local authorities. The intention is to safeguard the civilian population from rebel assaults. At the request of the country's authorities,