M23 held a press briefing in bunagana!

 

M23 will not capture Goma,if Rwanda continues with its aggression,we will defend ourselves,remember that the wazalendo are diplomats!! Assures Tshisekedi!!

 

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo gave an interview to  RFI-France 24 published on the night of Thursday, November 17, 2023. Candidate for his own succession for a second term in the presidential elections on December 20, Tshisekedi raised several issues including the security situation in the east of the DRC, particularly clashes between the Wazalendo and the pro-Rwandan M23 rebellion, support from Rwanda and did not exclude all possibilities. 

1.Open war with Rwanda: 

Tshisekedi does not exclude it “I do not exclude any scenario, we are victims. We do not have to look in this direction, we must rather look towards those who are guilty of this aggression,” says the supreme commander of the armed forces of the DRC. For several months, the Tshisekedi regime used several means to denounce Rwanda's aggression. Reports have been published and several members of the government are taking advantage of every platform in diplomatic and political salons to obtain sanctions against Rwanda. If some results are palpable, including the call for de-escalation sent to Rwanda, on the political and diplomatic level, there are almost no sanctions against Kigali, which visibly exacerbates Kinshasa. “After having repeatedly called on the international community to intervene with sanctions against Rwanda, if this is slow to come, we will protect ourselves. We will use our own means to protect our population... how can we do it other than with weapons? » For the Congolese president, the M23 is only an empty shell whose ranks are swollen by the Rwandan armed forces (RDF) to fight the DRC. “The Wazalendo are patriots,… it is not a crime” Several voices among diplomats denounce the clashes between the Wazalendo and the M23 on several axes both in the territory of Nyiragongo and those of Masisi and Rutshuru. According to the President of the DRC, they are only patriots trying to defend their country: “The Wazalendo are patriots, initially civilians. People who decided to defend the interests of their communities body and soul, because before they had no confidence in the army. It’s heroic,” said Félix Tshisekedi. “Where the FARDC can support them if they are in their fold, the order is given to support them. I don’t hide it because it’s not a crime they’re committing. They protect their homeland with reason and courage,” indicates the head of state. 

2.Goma: last red line not to be crossed.

 “They will not take Goma, remember, they will not take Goma” said the president. In a meeting with several diplomats in Kinshasa, his Minister of Foreign Affairs Christophe Lutundula said in his name and swore that “if a single bullet falls on Goma, even by mistake, we will respond in the most fierce manner. » Everything is clear in the language of Kinshasa. There is no question that Goma will fall into the hands of the M23 and its allies. The latest clashes between the FARDC and the M23 around Kibumba rather show the desire of the M23 to push Kinshasa to negotiate, because until now the rebellion's requests for negotiations have remained dead letters to the Congolese government. It is therefore a red line between the two parties, and no analyst can predict what will happen in the weeks or months to come.

Restoration of electricity in Goma

: Virunga Energies thanks all those who contributed to carrying out the work on the MT line and salutes the courage of its technical teams alongside the loyalty of its customers.

DRC introduces combat drones on the frontline!

 

Information from the war scene reveals that the drones came From Kinshasa to Kavumu via Goma, the transport of these three combat drones did not go unnoticed. Expected for several months, this arrival arouses a wave of hope within the Congolese general staff while the fighting rages with the M23 north of Goma. According to our information, the CH-4B combat drones, acquired from the company China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), cannot, however, be immediately used upon delivery.

The CH-4 has reconnaissance and combat functions and has similar capabilities to the American Air Force’s MQ-1 Predator. The CH-4 Drone fires AR-1 missiles that can hit a distant target with a margin of error of less than 1.5 meters.

A CH-4 Drone costs US$4 million, while the US Air Force website says a package including four MQ-1 Predators and a ground control station costs US$20 million.

The CH-4 Drone is already being used by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and now DRC plus several other countries.

The CH-4 UAV is specifically designed for high-altitude missions over land and sea, and can fire its weapon from up to 5,000 meters. The CH-4 UAV also “has a retractable electro-optical sensor turret, and a datalink back to the ground control station. The CH-4 UAV also boasts a modern, two person control station to fly the drone remotely, with provisions for both line of sight and satellite communications.

There are two versions, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The CH-4A is a reconnaissance drone (capable of a 3500–5000 km range and a 30- to 40-hour endurance) while the CH-4B is a mixed attack and reconnaissance system with provisions for 6 weapons and a payload of up to 250 to 345 kg.

CH-4 Drone is capable of firing air-to-ground missile from altitude of 5,000 meters (~16,400 feet), therefore the aircraft can stay outside of effective range of most anti-aircraft guns. It also allows CH-4 UAVto be able to fire from a position that provides wider viewing area.

Specifications
Year: 2014
Status: Active, In-Service
Manufacturer(s): China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) - China
Production: 500
Capabilities: Ground Attack; Reconnaissance (RECCE); Unmanned;

Crew: 0
Length: 36.09 ft (11 m)
Width: 65.62 ft (20 m)
Height: 12.47 ft (3.8 m)
Weight (Empty): 3,527 lb (1,600 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 9,921 lb (4,500 kg)

Power: 1 x Conventional engine developing an estimated 900 horsepower and driving three-bladed propelled in pusher arrangement.

Speed: 217 mph (350 kph; 189 kts)
Ceiling: 47,375 feet (14,440 m; 8.97 miles)
Range: 1,709 miles (2,750 km; 1,485 nm)

In 2014, China had exported the Wing Loong, a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV, which can also be fitted with missiles to Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom was the first Arab country to obtain such type of drone and now in central Africa we have DRC taking the lead in acquisition of these machines, which was developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.

The CASC CH-4B and CAIG Wing Loong II have similar specifications, especially in terms of payload and endurance (Wing Loong II: 400 kg and 32 hours vs. CH-4B: 345 kg and 40 hours).

Both UAV platforms can deploy China’s range of air-to-surface munitions, such as the AR-1 laser-guided missile.

On the frontline!M23,the lions of Sarambwe eyes Goma with vows to defend the people,operation springbok commences in Masisi.

 

This monday ,there was intensification of the fights between FARDC and M23 in Nyiragongo and Masisi . Violent fighting continued this Monday between the FARDC and the rebels M23 north of the territory of Nyiragongo , about twenty kilometers north of Goma , say several sources. The clashes rage in the region for several weeks. By 1 PM the Congolese army had just defeated a new attempt by M23 , which was trying to advance towards the city of Goma. The rebels attempted to infiltrate behind a position FARDC at Kanyamahoro without success.

The ceasefire was also violated in the same region where the army and the M23 clashed last week. Furthermore, in Masisi, more precisely in Burungu, near the town of Kitshanga, there has been a relative calm since the evening of Sunday, after intense fighting between the Wazalendo and the M23. By 5Pm (East African time)a lul was observed on the Nyiragongo front line, after the rebels of M23_RDF are pushed back to their old positions in the Buhumba grouping.

Claims say thay Some soldiers operating under the M23 label tried to overflow towards Kanyanza to approach kibati , but were repelled by the Congolese army, according to information from  the front line.

The state of mind of the population in the territory of Nyiragongo appears calm, following the deployment on the front line of young soldiers coming fresh from training, to defend their homeland.

.On front line now seems to be calm,with M23 top brass in thorough preparations with utmosts sounding vows to continue defending the people in the areas they captured.M23 has vowed not to back down despite the recent signed co-miltary operation between FARDC and MUNUSCO,military operation which has be termed "operation springbok". From,their words,M23 has vowed to take control of Nyiragongo and fight for the freedoms of the civilians whom they claimed are maimed by the wazalendo forces.

A non Gorvenmental humanitarian organisation (LUCHA) has announced a sit-in strike in front of the office of the military governor of North Kivu on Wednesday, Nov. 8 to demand the departure of the MONUSCO and the regional force of the EAC,and most of its member pointing fingers at the Uganda forces claiming it sympathises and cohabits with M23. These young people from lucha also want to take advantage of this opportunity to ask the FARDC to launch, “immediately the offensives against the terrorists of M23 ”. A demonstration announced while the Monusco and the Congolese army have just launched an operation called "Springbok" to counter the M23 with the first images of this FARDC-MONUSCO operation against the M23  and  UN peacekeepers positioned in Kimoka, in the territory of Masisi.

ADF massacres in Beni, a mausoleum erected in memory of the first victims of the ADF massacres

 ADF massacres in Beni, a mausoleum erected in memory of the first victims of the ADF massacres.

A delegation of French parliamentarians arrived this Friday morning in Goma

 A delegation of French parliamentarians arrived this Friday morning in Goma, the capital of North Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is made up of Carlos Martens Bilongo and Arnaud Le Gall, two deputies from France Insoumise (LFI), the party of French opponent Jean-Luc Melenchon, who was received yesterday Thursday by President Félix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa. Coming to the theater of operations, the French deputies will feel for themselves the reality of the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the neighbor via its auxiliaries of M23

M23 reaffirms its stay in Kibumba as they eye Goma

 Front line situation s of Thursday

Situation report on Thursday.

While the M23 rebels and their army allies Rwandaise tried to overflow at the foot of the volcano Nyiragongo to take the city of Goma on the morning of this Thursday, a consistent response with precise fire from the FARDC imposed itself, going so far as to dislodge M23_RDF in the hills of Bisogo, Nyundo, the villages of Kingarame and Burambo in the grouping of Buhumba .

This muscular response forced the rebels to move the artillery with which they were shelling the positions of FARDC in Hehu, on the Congolese border of Kasizi .

A resident of Buhumba  believes that this disillusionment "would already push the M23 to regret having provoked the FARDC from their positions of observing the ceasefire". He still thinks that if the rebels lose Kibumba following the fighting, it will be a stab in the back of the M23 which will no longer have an easy time getting its reinforcements from Rwanda to its positions in the Masisi .

Already this evening, reinforcements in men and ammunition from Rwanda and Rutshuru for the M23 are reported in Kibumba, to probably try to regain control of the situation which has escaped them since midday on Wednesday.

In the territory of Rutshuru , the M23 rebels advanced to Bambo in the evening hours after harsh clashes, and Birambizo in the Bukombo grouping.

An ambush has just been laid on the rebels in the Murambi and Kiringa neighborhoods in #Rutshuru center this evening, several bullets crackled for the cause.

Situation report on this Friday:

The situation is calm in the group #Kibumba in Nyiragongo territory, no clashes have been reported this morning.

The city of Kibumba remains under the control of the #M23 rebels who reinforced their numbers throughout the night.

The young people #Wazalendo have already set up their positions around this city, where fighting could break out at any time.

In the territory of #Rutshuru , the M23 rebels present in part of the city of Bambo, have been since 6:20 am, launching shells at the position of #FARDC at the level of Jite, to reassure themselves of the raking of this position before deploying there.

The rebels spent the night in Rebero , one of the districts of the city of Bambo, the latter have not yet crossed the center of Bambo .

The provisional collateral damage from yesterday's clashes shows 2 dead civilians whose bodies were found, 1 slightly injured and 3 transferred to Kibirizi hospital including 2 children and 1 adult man.

Several houses were hit by bombs thrown by the rebels, our source confirms.

The situation is calm in the group kibumba in Nyiragongo territory, no clashes have been reported this morning.

The city of Kibumba remains under the control of the M23 rebels who reinforced their numbers throughout the night. The wazalendo have already set up their positions around this city, where fighting could break out at any time. In the territory of Rutshuru the M23 rebels present in part of the city of Bambo, have been since 6:20 am, launching shells at the position of FARDC at Jite, to reassure themselves of the raking of this position before deploying there. The rebels spent the night in Rebero , one of the districts of the city of Bambo, the latter have not yet crossed the center of bambo. The provisional collateral damage from yesterday's clashes shows 2 dead civilians whose bodies were found, 1 slightly injured and 3 transferred to Kibirizi hospital including 2 children and 1 adult man. Several houses were hit by bombs thrown by the rebels, our source confirms.

A team made up of Ugandan and congolese officials will be dispatched to discuss the shifted border pillars in Mungo near Bunagana

 

A team composed of Congolese and Ugandan experts will soon be deployed to Rutshuru to verify this situation.Last month there was out cry that Uganda erected border pillars on DRC soil specifically in the area of Mungo some few kilometers from Bunagana border post.

"We showed the terminals that were moved, you followed on television. I met Uganda's charge d'affaires in the DRC, and I made it clear to him that we cannot accept this situation. We have agreed to appoint a joint team which will go to the site to see whether the border markers have been moved or not", declared Christophe Lutundula during a joint briefing with the Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya, on Monday 23 October 2023.

DRC Government presents new irrefutable evidence of Rwandan aggression and calls for urgent international action

 Tension between DRC 🇨🇩 and Rwanda 🇷🇼: “DRC Government presents new irrefutable evidence of Rwandan aggression and calls for urgent international action

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