Operation Shujaa (loosely translated "operation of the brave") is an ongoing military offensive conducted by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda against insurgent forces in Kivu and Ituri, mainly Islamic State (IS) affiliates and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Launched in November 2021, it has resulted in significant losses for the targeted rebel forces and substantially reduced their activity. At times, the government forces engaged in Operation Shujaa have also fought non-ADF/IS rebel groups.

The Allied Democratic Forces were founded in 1996 as a unification of various Ugandan rebel groups. From this point onwards, the ADF waged an insurgency against the Ugandan government mainly from bases in the eastern Congo whose governments provided it with support during the 1990s. Even after the Congolese leadership terminated its support for the ADF, the latter maintained a large presence in the eastern Congo which was repeatedly ravaged by wars as well as rebellions, becoming a haven for many different insurgent groups.

Over time, the ADF became aligned with a radical Islamism. The group also became more extreme in its methods, and increasingly targeted civilians. As a result of this ideological development, the ADF began to forge connections to international Jihadism; this trend culminated in 2019, when most of the ADF under Musa Baluku pledged loyalty to the Islamic State (IS). After violent disagreements and purges in response to this move, a small faction of the ADF broke off under an individual called "Muzaaya", declaring its continued loyalty to former commander Jamil Mukulu. This splinter subsequently adopted the name "Pan-Ugandan Liberation Initiative" (PULI).

Baluku's ADF faction subsequently became the core of the Islamic State's Central Africa Province (IS-CAP). Profiting from aid by IS-Central, IS-CAP quickly grew in prominence and expanded its activities, launching several high-profile attacks in the DR Congo and Uganda. IS-CAP thus rose to "poster child for the Islamic State's efforts to maintain a constant and lingering threat across the globe". The growth of IS-CAP eventually made the group a "top counter-terrorism priority" for regional states. In late 2021, the ADF/IS-CAP carried out a series of bombing attacks across Uganda, whereupon Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni declared that the responsible militants would be hunted down. Museveni subsequently met with President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Tshisekedi, and the two agreed to organize a joint operation against ADF/IS-CAP.

Operation Shujaa is carried out by the joint forces of Uganda's national military, the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). The Ugandan forces initially involved in the offensive numbered "hundreds" or between 2,000 and 4,000 soldiers. By early 2025, the Ugandan force had been reinforced to include about 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers. The operation is mainly carried out by the UPDF Mountain Division. Smaller involved units include the French-trained Mountain Brigade, the 3rd Mountain Battalion, and the 83rd Battalion. The Ugandan forces are under the chief command of Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Under him, Kayanja Muhanga was the first Ugandan frontline commander for the operation, followed by Dick Olum in October 2022, and Richard Otto in May 2024.

FARDC Maj.-Gen. Bombele Lohola Camille acts as the Coordinator of the joint FARDC-UPDF military operations with Maj.-Gen. Kayanja Muhanga as his assistant. The DR Congo committed at least one French-trained battalion to the operation. Though Congolese officials praised the cooperation between FARDC and UPDF during the offensive, several FARDC officers were reportedly "uncomfortable" over the presence of Ugandan soldiers in their country due to previous conflicts between the two states. In addition, the government forces are backed by some Mai-Mai militias. The United Nations peacekeeping force in the DR Congo, MONUSCO, reportedly aided the operation as well.

The ADF, and by extension IS-CAP, is traditionally centered in North Kivu and Ituri. Uganda has alleged that ADF/IS-CAP has thousands of members. IS-CAP's most important commander is Musa Baluku, though Bongela Chuma has also been identified as "alleged" leader of the IS branch. Below these chief commanders served a number of important IS-CAP officers during the offensive: These included Meddie Nkalubo, reportedly second-in-command, and Elias Segujja (alias Mulalo" / "Fezza"), head of the group's "political wing" and the "Southern Sector/Rwenzori-Mwalika". IS-Central has supported IS-CAP with money and other aid.

Compared to IS-CAP, the ADF-Mukulu faction or "PULI" was rather small; at its peak, it numbered 150-200 members. However, it attracted some prominent ADF members besides "Muzaaya", including Benjamin Kisokeranio and one of Mukulu's sons, Hassan Nyanzi. The three together commanded the splinter faction. PULI saw little combat, and spent much of its time hiding from IS-CAP and the UPDF. At times, Operation Shujaa has also targeted rebel groups unrelated to IS and ADF, such as the Force Patriotique et Intégrationniste du Congo (FPIC) and CODECO.