The security situation remains calm in the village of Alimbongo and its surroundings after violent clashes between WAZALENDO and FARDC against the M23 rebels supported by the Rwandan army.
"The M23 rebels, as usual, continue to intensify their attacks on the side of the region. They seem to want to rely on the west coast of Lake Edward to try to take Butembo and Beni. According to their statements, they have warned the population that they will control these two cities by January 1. However, when alerts are issued, the government tends to take them lightly. Today, the attacks have already begun."Since last week, the M23 rebels supported by Rwanda have opened several fronts against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the Wazalendo resistance in the territories of Lubero and Walikale, entities located in the province of North Kivu.
Through these offensives, these attackers have seized several strategic towns that were still controlled by the FARDC. In addition to Alimbongo, Matembe, the village of Mambasa located in the chiefdom of Bamate, Lubero and Buleusa have also come under rebel control. Villages under rebel occupation have mostly been emptied by their populations.
"Several of these villages are emptied by their populations. The rebels behave like free electrons. The FARDC elements must be reinforced in their numbers," a source told BETO under cover of anonymity.
Butembo, entire Lubero, will they survive?
However, faced with this rebel advance, some are wondering about the role of the Minister of National Defense, less felt by the population in this crisis. Fabrice Saambili, one of the observers who wants to know what the Minister of Defense is really doing, wonders how strategic localities such as Matembe and Alimbongo are falling one by one without an adequate military response?
"At this rate, Butembo and Lubero could be the next targets, putting millions of lives at risk. Meanwhile, our Minister of Defense remains comfortably seated in his air-conditioned office in Kinshasa, far from the realities on the ground," he denounced.
For him, "the incompetence of the Minister of Defense" is not only flagrant, but it constitutes a betrayal of the populations abandoned to their fate. "This minister seems to be unaware that his primary mission is to protect the territorial integrity and citizens of this country. Instead of mobilizing our troops and providing the necessary means for their deployment, he prefers to hide behind a diplomacy that, so far, has not produced anything concrete.
Additional intelligence findings reveal demoralized civilian society who have lost hope in FARDC and all of them believe that Butembo and Benitez will fall to the M23.The preparations and reinforcements plus the determination of the rebels leaves doubt as to whether these two cities will survive.They did miss GOMA by the end of December last year but the taking of these two cities in the great north of north kivu will leave FARDC in panick and GOMA security shaken.
of residents has been observed since Tuesday, December 17, 2024 in the city of Buleusa, capital of the Walikale territory, in the province of North Kivu.
This, the day after the capture of this strategic city by the M23/RDF rebels following the clashes against the FARDC-WAZALENDO coalitions since last Sunday.
According to HUMINT collections from civilians in the area this wednesday, many families have emptied the area heading towards supposedly calm villages.
"After the attacks in the Lubero territory, the M23/RDF opened fire on other axes, particularly diagonally between the Masisi territory and that of Walikale. Unfortunately, the enemy took control of the aforementioned city, after intense fighting between the FARDC-WAZALENDO and M23/RDF coalitions. The presence of the rebels is at the root of the psychosis and massive displacement of the inhabitants,"
According to Intelligence information confirmed by certain security sources including base leaders who preferred to remain anonymous.
They said the security situation remains tense in the villages surrounding Buleusa.
Meanwhile, in Lubero, clashes continued this Wednesday around the town of Alimbongo which was occupied by M23 rebels this week.
According to independent sources,FARDC responded to the enemy's attacks which are said to be planning to advance towards other villages located near the town of Kipese.
As a result, activities remain paralyzed in almost all sectors, the most affected being transport and education.
M23 advancing on sporadically!
Intelligence from the Frontline indicate spectacular advance by M23 since last Sunday.
"This is a new worrying development that is underway in the south of Lubero territory. We do not understand why the FARDC strategically withdrew from the localities of Mambasa, 90km from the commercial city of Butembo and Ndoluma, in Lubero territory without engaging in combat against the M23 rebels.
This is a withdrawal with a negative and immediate impact on the local population. As i write, the villages of Mambasa, Ndoluma, Kitsombiro, Bikara and Katondi are now empty. The inhabitants fled after the withdrawal of the FARDC," the source said.
In the territory of Walikale, clashes between the M23 and the FARDC supported by the Wazalendo continued this Wednesday, December 18.
Local sources said that the locality of Buleusa came under rebel control on Tuesday, December 17.
A military source in the area said that the Congolese army is organizing to respond to these attacks by the M23 rebellion supported by the Rwandan army.
Mbingi captured?
This Wednesday afternoon, the M23 rebels have occupied the town of Mbingi, the capital of the Batangi chiefdom, 50 kilometers from Lubero-Centre.
The FARDC retreated after a brief exchange of fire, abandoning the town in the hands of the attackers.
The Congolese military found themselves almost surrounded; the rebels had already taken control of the strategic roads of Kaseghe and Alimbongo, the main access routes to Mbingi.
Ambushes laid on FARDC men by unknown assailants!
An ambush leaves 3 dead including 2 men in military uniform FARDC and a civilian on the road leading to Lubero center.
According to the administrator of the Lubero territory, the unidentified attackers took the victims' weapons.
"Two soldiers were killed and the first thing to note is that their weapons were taken away. We will put in place strategies to discover the perpetrators of this act. These are not isolated cases, and these incidents are increasing on national road number 2, which is today considered a rear infrastructure according to military jargon. It is imperative to secure this road during this period of operations," said Colonel Kiwewa Mitela Alain, administrator of the Lubero territory.
.....wait for tomorrow's report...Good night....
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