Zambia Presidency Refutes Rwandan Rebels Financing Charges

Callixte Nsabimana, aka Sankara, spokesperson for Rwandan rebels National Liberation Force (NLF) told the judge in Rwanda that Zambian president Edgar Lungu funded his rebels to attack Rwanda. The Writing
The NLF is a military branch of a Rwandan opposition political party, the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change led by Rwandan dissident Paul Rusesabagina.
Nsabimana appeared on Monday in court where he pleaded guilty to all charges, but said he was misled by some people, including Kayumba Nyamwasa, a senior Rwandan army officer currently looking for asylum in Africa of South.
Speaking on Monday to Rwanda's International and Cross-Border Crimes Judge, Nsabimana accused Zambian President Edgar Lungu of pledging them $ million, but he advanced a hundred thousand dollars and allowed them to operate in his country to overthrow the Rwanda government.
Nsabimana was NLF's spokesperson, and he is accused of attacking villages in the south of the country, killing people, looted and destroying property.
Zambia refutes accusations
The Zambia Presidency has refuted the reports of local and international media that have taken over this news suggesting that President Edgar Lungu provided financial resources to a Rwandan organization named NLF to launch attacks in Rwanda.
President Lungu's Press Assistant, Mr. Isaac Chipampe, said tonight that the allegations were false and should be treated with the contempt they deserve.
′′ The Presidency noted with great dismay in the local and international media the allegations submitted to the High Court of Rwanda for international and cross-border crimes that His Excellency Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia reportedly provided financial resources to a Rwandan organization named NLF to launch attacks in Rwanda ", Mr. Chipampe.
′′ The Presidency would like to categorically refute these allegations and unequivocally wishes to say that these allegations are false and must be treated with the contempt they deserve. ′′
He added that the government, the people of Zambia and Rwanda continue to maintain strong and fraternal relationships based on mutual respect and a common goal based on shared values and principles.
The accused faces several charges, including the formation of an irregular armed group, complicity in terrorist acts, conspiracy and incitement to commit terrorist acts, hostage-taking, murder and looting.
Captured before extradition to Rwanda, Sankara was found with a Lesotho passport under the name of Kabera Joseph, born in Masisi, DRC, acquired in 2013 and paid for 5 South African rand (300 $ USD). The prosecution says it's a fake passport.The Zambian government has rejected the allegations that President Edgar Lungu has financially supported a group of rebels in Rwanda. In a press release issued on Wednesday, Lungu's spokesperson Isaac Chipambe said Lusaka would not want to jeopardize his strong and brotherly relations with Kigali by supporting the acts of destabilization of Rwandan rebel leader Callixte Nsabimana.
′′ The governments and peoples of Zambia and Rwanda continue to maintain strong and brotherly relationships based on mutual respect ", Chipambe said.
Nsabimana, who is being tried for alleged terrorist attacks in Rwanda, said this week to a court in Kigali that he had received funding from Lungu and other foreign leaders in his war to overthrow President Paul Kagame.
He explained to the court that Lungu promised to donate a million dollars to his National Liberation Front to help him out of Kigali's administration.
Lungu had already paid a $ 150.000 down payment for rebel outfits, Nsabimana said.
He also accused Lungu of allowing his rebel group to operate from his country to overthrow the Rwandan government.
This is not the first time that Nsabimana, who was arrested and deported to Rwanda in April 2019, accuses Zambia of helping not only its group, but also others, to coordinate their operations.
In his statement to prosecutors, Nsabimana quoted several countries including Uganda, Burundi and Zambia.

37 dead bodies found in Pinga after last week's clashes between militants

37 dead bodies have been found in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo following armed clashes, a conflict monitoring group announced on Friday.
The bodies were found in the city of Pinga and its surroundings on the territory of Walikale, North Kivu province following clashes between two factions of the Nduma Defense of Congo (NDC-R).
NDC-R is a militia that mainly operates in the eastern part of the DRC.
Clashes took place on July 20 in the resource-rich region.
The Forces of the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) have taken control of the city and that the inhabitants who had fled the region began to return home.
On Thursday, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) promised to continue to support FARDC against militias.
On Wednesday, a security meeting was held between MONUSCO Indian Peacekeepers, FARDC and local administrative authorities to discuss the security situation and protect civilians in Pinga.
Attacks on civilians in eastern DRC have multiplied in recent months.
In January, the army launched an offensive against militants in Ituri's gold-rich province as part of a wider offensive launched last October.
Since December 2017, violence in northeastern Ituri has killed nearly 1000 and half a million displaced people, according to the International Crisis Group.
Most militias have put aside their political claims and are involved in ore trafficking.

A truck carrying goods from Uganda was systematically looted before being set on fire by the attackers of the CODECO militia

A truck carrying goods from Uganda was systematically looted before being set on fire by the attackers of the CODECO militia, the fact happened on the national road N ° 27 the evening of this Thursday July 23 2020 in the locality of Jitso, not far from Fataki, more than 90km north of Bunia in the territory of Djugu. Local civil society, which provided the information, adds that the attackers operated until late in the evening without being worried. "There is a vehicle in the province, it is from Uganda with goods, this vehicle broke down in Jitso 8 km south of Fataki on the RN 27, so the attackers looted this vehicle and set it on fire" explains Jules Tsuba responsible for this citizen structure in the region. Note that this is the third time that CODECO elements set fire to a vehicle loaded with goods. On April 05, at least 4 tankers carrying gasoline were charred by the same militiamen, in an attack in which several people also lost their lives.

General Peter nchirimwami officially took over operation sukola 1 against the ADF in Beni

General Peter Tchirimwami, officially took office this Friday, July 24th as the new commander of operations Sokola 1 against the rebels of Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Beni (North Kivu). He replaced General Jacques Nduru who had been commanding these operations since September 2019. The ceremony of surrender and resumption was supervised at the army staff by Colonel Nkenda Lambert, Chief of Operations intelligence sokola 1. In his word, the new commander promised to fight to achieve ′′ the final result ′′ ′′ and asked for the support of the population. ′′ The Supreme Command, the General Staff and our entire hierarchy, have renewed their trust by designating me as a sector commander (...) the final result wanted by the Supreme Authority, we will reach it at the price of our blood, because the population has suffered so much, and today I am the flagship to achieve the desired end result. What we are asking the staff and the population that is with us is to continue to support us as until we get to the end ", General Peter Tchirimwami said during the resumption and recovery. Peter Tchirimwami has been in Sokola 1 command since September last year as Deputy Operations and Intelligence Commander. It was July 17th that he was promoted during the new set up by Félix Tshisekedi in the army. General Jacques Nduru becomes the deputy commander of the second defense zone which includes the provinces of central and southern DRC.

DRC Army deploys to Kipupu after allegations of the killing of more than 200 people by militia. 24 07, 2020

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) deployed on Thursday, 23 July to the village Kipupu, in the headerie of Itombwe (Mwenga territory) in South Kivu. In Kipupu, according to provincial deputies, 220 civilians were killed, on the night of July 16 in an attack attributed to a coalition of militia Ngumino, Twirwaneho and Red Tabara. Spokesperson for operation sokola 2 south in South Kivu, Captain Dieudonné Kasereka, indicates that a permanent FARDC camp is located in Kipupu at the request of the authorities of the 33th military region. ′′ According to the command of the military region, we deployed the military to Kipupu to set up a camp that must remain there forever The army has noticed that the militias have taken advantage of the absence of the military in this village. I also call on the people of Kipupu to abandon the bush to return to their village. There is no longer a question of staying in the bush while the army is already there ", said the army spokesperson. Local sources confirm the army presence since Thursday in Kipupu. But the population who still fear for their safety is not ready to return to the village. ′′ The military are already in Kipupu but it's very difficult for the population to return to the village. We were attacked overnight, we lost everything, people don't have clothes, all household goods were burned in houses, so we're told to go back, how are we going to live? Besides, the wounded are not taken care of so far. We fear for our safety because this is not the first time the army has installed the camp in Kipupu but after a while she closes the camp. Will she stay there this time forever ", wonders Enasi Yoni, head of Kipupu. The Congolese authorities have not always spoken out on allegations of these massacres. However, the information is confirmed by about thirty provincial deputies from South Kivu and customary authorities from Fizi and Itombwe. The latter even decreed two days of mourning in memory of the victims. For its part, Monusco has announced that it will deploy ′′ very soon ′′ a mission to Kipupu to verify these allegations.

ADF kills 3 people in an attack in kakuka of banande-kainama groupment

Ugandan rebels of Allied Democtic Forces (ADF) made an attack on the night of Thursday to Friday, July 24, 2020 in the village of Kakuka located in the Banande-Kainama groupement in the territory of Beni (North Kivu). According to civil society in Kainama, 3 people were cowardly shot by these assailants during this incursion. "It is about a couple and a child", adds our source which adds that "the rebels appeared in this agglomeration at the turn of 9 pm, the FARDC elements quickly retaliated". the rebels would have taken advantage of the absence of the FARDC deployed on the ground for the patrol, only those who kept the guard which limited the damage. This situation was at the base of a strong tension in this part where the population lives the fear of dying, indicates the local civil society. This citizen structure strongly condemns this new incursion and asks the Congolese government to focus its attention on the situation facing the inhabitants of Kainama who no longer spend a night without registering deaths in their villages.

CODECO killed 5 again in the Donato village of Agonema groupment territory of Djugu of iturit

CODECO attackers signed a new attack which left five dead on Thursday, July 23, 2020 afternoon in the Donato village of the Agonema group in the Banyali-Kilo sector in the territory of Djugu. “The incident started around 3 pm in Donato where the assailants who passed through Kaba-kaba and who wanted to operate in Itendey shot dead 5 people among the inhabitants of Donato. Now, since everyone has fled, so the results are still provisional ”says our source,who also indicates that two men, two women and a child are among the victims of this surprise attack which caused a massive displacement of the population towards the surrounding localities. FARDC soldiers who arrived at the scene repelled the attack, adds our source, who denounces the small number of loyalist forces to ensure the safety of the population. It should be noted that the Banyali-Kilo sector is currently the target of attacks by the CODECO militia. On Monday and Tuesday, July 21, these same assailants killed at least nine civilians with machetes in the town of Mayolo.

Another alleged clash between m23 and FARDC in rugari

Violent clashes are reported again in Rutshuru territory more precisely in Rugari grouping on Thursday, July 23, 2020, between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and alleged M23 who have been reported in this area since a few days already. This Thursday, the population of the Rugari group(groupment), located about thirty kilometers north of the city of Goma, woke up in a strong fear that would be due to the presence of the alleged elements of the movement of March 23 (M23) which is confront with the army in this area. Sources of the Civil Society in the Rugari group indicate that a massive displacement of the population of this entity, leaving their villages towards Kanyarucinya more or less 5 kilometers from Rugari in Nyiragongo territory. Others would also have taken the road to Goma-Rutshuru where they took refuge. Other sources contacted;let's know that there are two operational armed groups in the area that have been facing each other since the morning in Virunga National Park where heavy and light weapons fired at Ruhanga, Ngugo, and Kikeri about 6 kilometers away from Rugari ready from Mikeno and Bukima. These same sources report that many inhabitants of the Rugari group have moved to the parish of Rugari for their safety. The inhabitants of this area are shouting an alarm to the administrative and military authorities to do everything to restore peace and security. At the same time, they call for the strengthening of security elements so that peace is a reality in this part of the province. As a reminder, it has been since this Monday, July 20th that clashes have been reported between FARDC and alleged M23 rebels in Rutshuru territory. Hard to get any balance sheet. The M23 has denied any confrontation but recognizes that its elements are in Rutshuru awaiting implementation of the Nairobi agreements.

The Pentagon awarded defence giant Raytheon hundreds of millions of dollars build the AN/SPY-6(V), a long-range next-generation class of 3D radar arrays said to be capable of exo-atmospheric detection, tracking and discrimination of ballistic missiles and other air and surface threats.

The Pentagon awarded defence giant Raytheon hundreds of millions of dollars build the AN/SPY-6(V), a long-range next-generation class of 3D radar arrays said to be capable of exo-atmospheric detection, tracking and discrimination of ballistic missiles and other air and surface threats.
Raytheon’s missiles and defence division has delivered its first AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar array system to the Navy to be installed aboard the USS Jack H. Lucas, the under-construction Arleigh Burke-class Flight III guided-missile destroyer, the company has announced.
“SPY-6 will change how the Navy conducts surface fleet operations,” Captain Jason Hall, Navy Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems above water sensors program director said in a statement.
“Our ships will be able to see farther, react quicker and defend against threats in a way we couldn’t before,” Hall added.

The modular 4.25x4.25 meter array, expected to be deployed aboard as many as seven different types of US warships in the future, was delivered to the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, one of the US shipyards building the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, earlier this week.
Raytheon promised that the first array will be followed up by “a steady stream of SPY-6 array deliveries”, and that the radar will help defend US warships against enemy drones, missiles, planes and unmanned vessels.
The USS Jack H. Lucas warship aboard which the radar is expected to be mounted is expected to be commissioned in 2023.
The AN/SPY-6(V) has been touted as the US Navy’s next-gen air and missile defence radar system, with the Navy promising to upgrade destroyers with the system as part of a comprehensive effort to reequip ships to keep up with Russian and Chinese hypersonic developments. The company is said to be have at least four separate variants of the radar. The system operates in S-band, and is said to be capable of tracking over 30 times the number of targets as the existing AN/SPY-1 radar installed aboard many US warships. That system was first introduced in the 1970s, and has received several upgrades over the years.

SADC delegation in Moliro to resolve the DRC-Zambia border crisis

A SADC delegation has been staying since Wednesday, July 22 in Moliro, located more than 350 km south-east of Moba (Tanganyika).
This delegation, composed of 15 members including civilian and military experts, will remain there for a week to resolve the crisis at the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, according to the leader of the Moliro Grouping, in Moba territory ...
These experts who received the logistical support of Monusco, transited to Lubumbashi and spent the night of Tuesday, 21 July in Kalemie to leave the next day on Moliro.
The SADC Mission will have to visit Kibanga, Kalubamba, Moliro and Pweto, 4 localities on the Congolese side and Tshibanga, Tshimpunda and Musosa, 3 other localities on the Zambian side.
The SADC Delegation is coming to settle the crisis that broke out in March 2020 between the DRC and Zambia at the border of Moliro. Both countries have managed to deploy men and military equipment to the ready-to-go area.