KDF contingent back to DRC

 

M23 accuses DRC Gorvenment of violating it's airspace!

 Who saw the helicopter this morning?

Wazalendo and M23 clashed today in Masisi

 Fighting raged this Saturday, August 24 on the Kironko axis, near the town of Buguri, in the territory of Masisi (North Kivu).

At midday, the situation was confused around the locality of Muheto, about 16 kilometers from Masisi-Centre, where crossfire with heavy weapons plunged the population into disarray.

It is difficult, for the moment, to say precisely which of the camps on the battlefield has control of the town of Muheto.

Some sources are already announcing the fall of this region into the hands of the rebels. Other sources, however, maintain that the fighting, which began around 4 am this Saturday, is continuing and has redoubled in intensity.

The M23 rebels, the first to launch the offensive, are said to have opened several other fronts at the same time. Thus, in addition to Muheto, there are fighting in an area including the localities of Kisuma, Nyange, Kaniro, Lukopu, and also on the Katale side.

In Kisuma, the Wazalendo had to force the invaders to retreat, according to local sources.

Since the beginning of the week that is ending, sporadic fighting has been reported, on numerous occasions, in localities in the Masisi territory, forcing the rest of the civilian population to move constantly.

Civil society organisations deplore this lack of respect for the ceasefire period, which should be observed after the humanitarian truce.

Fihtings resume in Masisi

 Lull was observed this Wednesday, August 21 in the Mufunyi Shanga group in the south of the Masisi territory (North Kivu). 

The Mufunyi group has returned to calm after clashes early Tuesday afternoon between M23 rebels and fighters from local armed groups in the villages of Kabashe and Kashengamutwe. 

These villages are located on the hills overlooking the town of Bweremana. 

According to some local sources, local fighters clashed with a rebel patrol, which was attempting to cross to the west of Shasha. 

The sound of gunfire was heard until around 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the same sources continued.

Violent clashes also broke out this Wednesday morning at 2:00 a.m. in the territory of Masisi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The M23/RDF rebels were confronted by the FARDC, supported by the Wazalendo. The fighting  concentrated in Rupfunda and Rukopfu less than 10 km from Bihambwe.

These clashes come as authorities from Kinshasa and Kigali meet in Luanda, Angola, for peace talks mediated by Angolan President João Lourenço

FARDC presents captured rebels

 

People fleeing after suspected ADF present at Makumo(DRC)

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Will Rwanda accept to withdraw RDF from Congolese soil?Will the region's plan to neutralize the FDLR materialize?

While Kigali (Rwanda) has managed to obtain validation of the harmonized plan for the neutralization of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), the victim of an aggression according to the United Nations, is experiencing diplomatic difficulties in reaching an agreement on the disengagement of foreign forces on its territory, in particular the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF). On the sidelines of the 44th SADC summit, the mediator appointed by the African Union, Joao Lourenço, presented his mediation report to the Troika meeting of the SADC political, defense and security cooperation body, focused on the security crisis in eastern DRC. In his report to the region's leaders, he acknowledged that on this point "negotiations are at an impasse."

"I inform you that at the second ministerial meeting between the DRC and Rwanda, held on July 30, 2024 in Luanda, the parties agreed on a ceasefire at midnight on August 4, 2024. An agreement was also reached on the imperative need to implement the FDLR neutralization plan, the deployment of forces and the strengthening of the ad hoc verification mechanism with the integration of intelligence experts from the three countries and the possibility of involving other stakeholders. Following the decisions I just mentioned, the intelligence experts met in Luanda on the 7th and 8th of this month and together developed the Harmonized Plan for the Neutralization of the FDLR, despite an impasse in the development of the disengagement of forces in the operational theater," said João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço in his speech published on the Facebook account of the Angolan Presidency.

Despite the impasse, the mediator appointed by the African Union in the security crisis has expressed optimism about a successful outcome for the return of peace in eastern DRC and the region. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço notes a willingness on the part of Kinshasa and Kigali to resolve the conflict through negotiation. "This situation is at the forefront of our attention and, therefore, we will continue to work with both parties to reach an agreement on the disengagement of forces. For peace to be effective, permanent and lasting, I travelled to Kigali and Kinshasa on 11 and 12 August respectively to have a conversation with HE President Paul Kagame and HE President Félix Tshisekedi, to whom I presented a proposal for a peace agreement," he said in his speech.

And he continued: "In the conversation with the two heads of state mentioned, I perceived a great political will on their part in resolving the conflict through negotiation and, in accordance with this, we have already scheduled for next August 20 a ministerial meeting of discussion and negotiation in Luanda within the framework of the terms of the proposed peace agreement, to be signed, at the best opportunity, in the presence of the three heads of state: the DRC, Rwanda and Angola."

Furthermore, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço said he had noted that the region is now working diligently with the United Nations to ensure MONUSCO's support for the reinforced ad hoc mechanism for the implementation of the ceasefire. "I consider it appropriate to inform Your Excellencies that we have begun to work diligently with the United Nations, to ensure MONUSCO's support for the activities of the reinforced ad hoc mechanism, whose mandate will be crucial for the implementation of the ceasefire, the neutralization of the FDLR and the disengagement of forces. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the efforts of our Region which, through the implementation of the SADC Mission in the DRC, has played a decisive role in supporting the government of this country, a member of our Community, in the quest to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said in his statement.

A new ministerial meeting between the DRC and Rwanda will take place in Luanda on 20 and 21 August. This meeting, preceded by an expert session, follows the recent steps taken by Angolan President João Lourenço, appointed mediator by the African Union, who travelled to Kigali and Kinshasa on 11 and 12 August to present a proposal for a peace agreement to Presidents Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi. The Luanda meeting will mainly aim to discuss this peace proposal, with a view to reaching a negotiated and lasting solution to the conflict that has been ravaging eastern DRC since the end of 2023, the Angolan presidency announced. The Angolan president, who plays a central role in this process, has already initiated in-depth talks with Congolese and Rwandan leaders, seeking to restore confidence between the parties.

In the theatre of operations, we also observe a status quo where the M23 forces, supported by Kigali, have increased their zones of influence in the province of North Kivu. On the side of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the reaction is struggling to be felt, despite the recent establishment of a security task force under the leadership of Félix Tshisekedi, following the incidents in the city of Kanyabayonga and other localities in the territory of Lubero (North Kivu).

International Humanitarian day celebration in North kivu

Goma

Beni

 

Damaged Liakobo bridge interrupts transportation between Beni and Butembo

 Road traffic has been interrupted for two days between Beni and Butembo. Around a hundred vehicles are stuck on either side of a small damaged bridge near Liakobo, 8 kilometers from the southern  exit of Beni.

South Sudan soldiers made another incursion on Congolese territory

 

A new incursion by South Sudanese soldiers has been reported on Congolese soil, precisely in the territory of Aru in Ituri. 

According to various media outlets in Ituri, between August 5 and 7, 2024, around 150 South Sudanese soldiers entered the Kameru 2 shopping center located in the Kaliko Omi chiefdom.

These soldiers caused panic for 3 days, shooting in the air and arresting at least 11 people, including Congolese and South Sudanese refugees. They also committed acts of looting and raped a young refugee girl from South Sudan.