M23 has captured Kitwe another key area in Bamate chiefdom,As FARDC claims holding part of the area.

 

According to sources on spot,the M23 rebels have taken control of Hutwe, capital of the Hutwe group in the Bamate chiefdom.These rebels  held a meeting there as soon as they entered and in their meeting they announced that they wanted to progress to Ngekeni, we learned from local residents. The conquest of Hutwe opens a path to Kipese and the Graben, and extends the danger of capture to a large area.

The armed forces of the DRC defended the town of Kaseghe and prevented the rebel overflow into Alimbongo, the army confirmed.

The government claims for its part that work is being done to completely defeat the rebellion. Moreover, the President of the DRC called for a union of prayer to hope, he said, for the miracle of the return of peace to the eastern part of the country.

 However,According to sourcess in the army; Hutwe is not completely under the control of the M23 rebels, the Congolese army confirmed. According to Lt. Mbuyi Reagan, spokesperson for the Northern Front army, part of it is controlled by the M23, while the FARDC maintains control of another part. “The large part of Hutwe was already under the control of the M23  well before the resumption of clashes and the small part still remains under FARDC occupation”.

According to Intelligence information I have got from wazalendo on Frontline now:

They are saying;

"The m23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, have not set foot in the locality of Hutwe, contrary to false information circulating on social networks and published by certain media.The truth is that three roaming Fardc jeeps arrived in Charamba, one of the neighborhoods of Hutwe around 11 a.m. this Tuesday. The M23 digital army took advantage of this situation to distort this information and spread rumors.After careful verification, our cross sources confirm that Hutwe in Lubero territory is not under the control of the M23 RDF rebels. The latter, in disarray after the heavy losses suffered during the clashes of this Monday, December 2, are trying with difficulty to reorganize themselves"

ADF attacks Totolito!!

 

According to army Intelligence sources,Residents of Totolito woke up this Tuesday, December 3, 2024 in desolation the day after a deadly attack that caused at least 10 deaths at kilometer point 20, on the Mbau-Kamango road (Beni territory) in North Kivu. Socio-economic activities are have closed down.

According to HUMINT(Human Intelligence )sources, residents from Totolito are requesting reinforcement in security measures to deal with any eventuality during this period of the great cocoa harvest season. 

"We have been calling for security measures for a long time by setting up military positions everywhere. There is a free corridor from which these attackers always come. It would be better if we expanded joint military operations in the area. Kilometer point 20 has become a granary for several other localities," he argues. 

Some residents are still  in the area, while others moved last Monday, says Muhindo Berco, local administrative authority. This official emphasizes that hostages still remain in captivity.

"We are still at kilometer point 20 with some inhabitants. The bodies of the victims were buried Monday in different localities including Kamango, PK 20, Mbau and Oicha. Everything depended on their respective families. However, the search continues in the surrounding area and civilians taken hostage are still in the hands of their captors. What is certain is that there has not been any reinforcement of security measures after the attack on Monday," he said. 

In the late hours of last Sunday, ADF rebels emerged in Totolito where they killed about ten civilians. Civil society put the number of dead at 14, but 11 bodies had arrived at the morgue of the Oicha General Hospital, according to a hospital source. The attackers also set fire to houses before withdrawing from the area.

More fighting between M23 and wazalendo in Kaseghe

  From Sunday, fighting has continued between the Congolese army supported by the Wazalendo militia and the M23 rebels supported by the Rwandan army in the south of the Lubero territory (North Kivu). This Tuesday, the clashes are taking place in Matembe and Hutwe. But the rebels have not yet taken control of the town of Alimbongo, contrary to information circulating on social networks.

"The enemy has not been able to move from Matembe. The situation is under the control of the FARDC. Before taking Alimbongo, we must take Matembe. We are in Matembe, how will the enemy reach Alimbongo behind us?", reacted Lieutenant Reagan Mbuyi, spokesman for the Congolese army in the area. 

Information confirmed by the chief of Bamate chiefdom in which the locality of Alimbongo is located. According to Mwami Sondoli Mukosasenge, since the resumption of fighting on Sunday, the clashes have been taking place between Matembe and Kaseghe, an area located nearly 10 km from Alimbongo, in the neighboring chiefdom of Batangi. 

On Tuesday morning to Mr. Kinono , a resident of Alimbongo, who confirmed that their village is entirely controlled by the Congolese army and that the M23 has been blocked near Matembe since Sunday.

"Currently (9:15 am), we are in Alimbongo. It is controlled by the FARDC. The front continues. We still hear gunfire coming from the front line. Those who come here tell us that the army is rather pushing the M23 towards Kaseghe, in the direction of Kirumba," reported this notable from Alimbongo. 

Overflow reported in Hutwe

Residents report an attempt by rebels to overrun Hutwe, an entity located about twenty kilometers behind the main road where the fighting is taking place. Information confirmed by the Congolese army, which says it has control of the situation. 

"Currently, there is also fighting in Hutwe. There is a river that separated us from the enemy in Hutwe. We blocked the road yesterday around 8 p.m. He was unable to advance. The enemy has withdrawn and is said to have headed towards the village of Kaseghe," added Lieutenant Reagan Mbuyi. 

Bomb damage

In Alimbongo, the chief of the Bamate chiefdom and the inhabitants report that bombs from the front line destroyed two houses in the village, without causing any human damage. A situation that is forcing the inhabitants to retreat towards Kitsombiro, in the direction of Lubero-centre. 

These fights are relaunched while Kinshasa signed an agreement with Kigali under the aegis of Luanda for a ceasefire in force since last August. The M23 rebellion supported by Kigali says it is not concerned by these agreements and has, in the past weeks, reinforced its positions. Trucks filled with soldiers left Kanyabayonga for Kaseghe, causing concern among the inhabitants of South Lubero.

Video showing the special units soldiers in Kaseghe this evening.

FARDC's 31st RR Brigade to get assistance worth 20M pounds from EU

 

European Union and its Member States are committed to supporting the DRC and its armed forces in strengthening their capacities to secure their territory and protect their population. In this context, it has adopted, following a request from the Congolese authorities, a measure to provide assistance worth €20 million to the 31st Rapid Reaction Brigade of the FARDC, within the framework of the European Peace Facility.

On the occasion of the official launch of this support, the representative of the European Union delegation in the DRC and several ambassadors of the member states of this organization will carry out, this Tuesday, December 3, a joint mission to Kindu, in the province of Maniema, where the headquarters of this brigade is located.

According to a press release from the European Union delegation in the DRC, they will have the opportunity to meet the forces benefiting from this assistance measure.

"Thanks to this measure implemented with the support of the Belgian Ministry of Defence, the EU will provide non-lethal individual and collective equipment to improve the performance of this brigade and will also rehabilitate certain infrastructures in their barracks. The 31st Rapid Reaction Brigade of the FARDC has already benefited from training and technical supervision from the Belgian Ministry of Defence for around ten years. As with all support under this facility, a set of controls and monitoring measures are planned, in particular to guarantee the appropriate use of the equipment by the brigade and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law," guarantees this delegation of the European Union.

This support is part, according to the same press release, of a broader strategic commitment by the European Union in the DRC. This commitment is also reflected in support for security sector reform, through its program "United for Peace and Security (29,500,000 euros for the period 2023-2027)", as well as through various bilateral support from Member States. The Congolese government will be represented on this occasion by the Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya.

Recalling that the same sum was granted to the Rwandan army for its actions against terrorism in Mozambique with the support of France. A decision that was contested by Belgium, thus denouncing Rwanda's support for the M23 rebels.

Wazalendo claim laying an ambush on M23 jeeps carrying minerals from Rubaya

On the RUBAYA - BIHAMBWE Axis Around 10:24 a.m. on Tuesday, December 3, Two Jeeps with Rwandan registration coming from RUBAYA fell into the ambush of Young Congolese Patriotic Resistants of the WAZALENDO Self-Defense.Aboard the Two Jeeps,we sacks of Minerals and 6 members of m23.  They were all killed.

A tripartite Angola-Rwanda-DRC summit will be held in Luanda on 15 December 2024, under the auspices of Angolan President

 A tripartite Angola-Rwanda-DRC summit will be held in Luanda on 15 December 2024, under the auspices of Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the African Union-appointed mediator for the conflict in eastern DRC. The summit will bring together Presidents Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and their Angolan counterpart, in order to accelerate stabilisation efforts in the violence-plagued region.

This summit comes after a major breakthrough made on November 25, when the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda signed a "Concept of Operations" (CONOPS) in Luanda. This strategic document, approved at the sixth ministerial meeting under Angolan mediation, sets out the modalities for action against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the gradual withdrawal of Rwandan forces present in Congolese territory.

A four-phase plan

The CONOPS envisages a four-stage implementation. The first phase, scheduled to last fifteen days, will consist of assessing the threat posed by the FDLR and locating their positions. At the same time, Rwanda will have to provide detailed information on its "defensive measures" and commit to ceasing all cross-border incursions.

The second phase involves targeted actions to neutralize the FDLR and their allies, followed by a joint assessment of progress made. Then, a third phase will focus on a review of operations to assess their effectiveness. Finally, the fourth stage will focus on stabilization, with the demobilization, repatriation and reintegration of ex-FDLR combatants, as well as the normalization of bilateral relations between Kinshasa and Kigali.

Challenges and hopes

This plan aims to restore trust between the two countries and ensure a secure environment for the resumption of socio-economic activities in eastern DRC. However, several challenges remain, including the risk of FDLR reprisals against civilians, the stigmatization of certain communities, and the importance of strong political commitment to build genuine mutual trust.

MONUSCO Head Bintou Keita welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the UN mission's support for the verification mechanism established by the Angolan mediation. She also called for respect for the ceasefire, in force since 4 August 2024, to ensure the success of the plan.

International support

Peter Stano, Spokesperson for External Affairs of the European Union, also expressed his support for this initiative and reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting peace efforts in the region.

Despite months of fruitless negotiations, the signing of this document marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough. It remains to be seen whether this new framework will translate into concrete progress on the ground, where tensions remain high.

Rwanda to face DRC in international court of justice

 The DRC will face Rwanda in a new trial on February 12, 2025 before the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, a jurisdiction under the African Union. This trial is part of a series of international judicial initiatives aimed at highlighting the violations perpetrated by Rwanda and its president, Paul Kagame, on Congolese soil.

Unlike the trial held on September 26, 2024 before the Court of Justice of the East African Community (EAC), which focused on specific regional disputes, this new hearing is part of a broader process. It aims to take responsibility for decades of aggression, systematic plundering of natural resources, sexual violence, and massacres suffered by the Congolese populations.

Samuel Mbemba, Deputy Minister of Justice in charge of international litigation, who announced it, mentioned the unprecedented scope of these legal proceedings. 

“For decades of aggression against our country, the plundering of our minerals, the rape of our children and women, and the massacres of our people; never have Rwanda and Paul Kagame been prosecuted through real trials at all levels as we see now. These are not the usual criticisms that we were used to in the past. There are three trials underway today,” he said.

This trial illustrates a clear desire on the part of the DRC to mobilize international bodies to put an end to the impunity that Rwanda typically enjoys in the context of conflicts in the East. By relying on the jurisdiction of the African Union, this process seeks to open a new path for the recognition of the rights of the affected peoples and to move towards another body, the International Court of justice

ADF kills 15 people in Batangi-mbau

 At least fifteen (15) people were killed by rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the Batangi-Mbau group, in the Beni-Mbau sector, in the Beni territory (North Kivu).

The report, this Monday, December 2, 2024, by the chief of the Bakila-Tenambo locality where the tragedy took place. He specifies that the attackers also reduced several of the population's properties to ashes. According to the same source, this assessment is still provisional.

"The ADF attacked our locality of Bakila/Tenambo around 8 p.m., precisely at Kilometric Point 20 (PK-20). For the moment, as a provisional report, there are 15 bodies of people lying on the ground. The enemy set fire to a hotel in the area (Congo ya Sika) and some houses before disappearing into the wilderness the same night," said Roger Maeti Kikongo.

This tragedy is the basis of the psychosis and paralysis of activities in this part of the Beni territory.

"The situation is confused in the region following the attack. Activities are paralyzed and some residents are starting to move to other supposedly calm areas," he added.

This attack comes just a few days after another on the same axis, where human and material damage was recorded.

However, during an interview given to the Beni press last weekend, the Congolese army, through the spokesperson of the Sokola I operational sector in Greater North Kivu, Lieutenant-Colonel Mak Hazukay, called on the population to be cautious during this period when the enemy is being hunted in depth by the forces of the FARDC-UPDF coalition.

40 hostages of ADF liberated!

  Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) handed over this Saturday, November 30, 40 former hostages of the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) rebels and the Mai-Mai armed groups to the MONUSCO child protection section and its partners. Among these former hostages are 29 minors, victims of forced recruitment into armed groups.

These former hostages were released following joint operations conducted by the FARDC and the Ugandan army (UPDF) in the region. These offensives aim to neutralize armed groups active in eastern DRC, including the ADF and some Mai-Mai groups. Colonel Mack Hazukay, spokesperson for Sokola 1 operations, explains:

"Among the 27 minors, there are 7 Mai-Mai. This proves that even the armed groups do not help us. These Mai-Mai, they were in the group abusively called Wazalendo, to tell you that these people are also committing war crimes. Because the fact of using children, minors in armed groups, are crimes that we are condemning. The people we are presenting today are among the fruits of joint operations. It is up to civil society to guide the minors, and the ex-hostages especially the adults so that they can return to their natural environments."

The military spokesman in the region strongly denounced the recruitment and use of children by armed groups, calling these acts war crimes.

The 29 minors were handed over to MONUSCO's Child Protection Section, which works with partner organizations for their reintegration into society. As for the former adult hostages, they were handed over to civil society, which will be responsible for their reintegration into their communities of origin.

Is it a plan to bring war in mulenge?