KAMPALA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military on Friday said it had launched attacks on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The military in a statement issued here said the troops carried out a preemptive attack after receiving intelligence information that rebels were planning to attack Uganda.

"In a preemptive move, this afternoon UPDF (Uganda People's Defense Forces) conducted attacks on their camps in eastern DRC. ADF terrorists may only buy time but will be targeted wherever they are hiding!" the statement issued by the military spokesman Brig. Richard Karemire said.

Karemire told Xinhua in an interview later that the military used fighter jets.

"Our troops didn't enter DRC. We employed the Air forces and long range artillery to carry out the attacks," he said.

The surprise attack came barely two weeks after the rebel group on Dec. 7 attacked UN peacekeepers in eastern DRC's North Kivu province, killing 15 Tanzanian blue helmets, 5 DRC soldiers and wounding 15 others.