Ugandan and Congolese forces say they have rescued at least 200 civilians from captivity by the ISIL-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The captives were freed from a camp near the River Epulu and were reportedly in poor health after facing forced labour, starvation, and abuse.

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), originally formed in Uganda and now based in eastern DRC, has carried out repeated attacks and kidnappings in the region for decades.

The group is accused of killing thousands of civilians and exploiting abductees, including forcing women into marriage, Al-Jazeera has reported.

The rescue comes amid ongoing instability in eastern Congo, where multiple armed groups are active.