M23 planning to suffocate GOMA and probably force Kinshasha to negotiate!

 

The war waged by M23 in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo is increasingly taking on another aspect, and is gradually reaffirming all the notes taken up by the United Nations experts in their various reports. From a war of aggression to an economic war, Rwanda seems to no longer have the means to camouflage its unfortunate shenanigans, which have pushed millions of citizens to flee their natural environments, many lives having also been lost.

After eight months of controlling the city of Ngungu, the M23 rebels were dislodged from this strategic entity in the Masisi territory by the Congolese army supported by young volunteers for the defense of the homeland called Wazalendo and some units of the Burundian army who intervene in the DRC within the framework of bilateral relations between the two countries.

This recapture of Ngungu, which came after those of the villages of Kamatale, Luizi, Ruzirantaka, Kabingo and Kasake, only lasted ten days, casting doubt on the hopes of progress of these forces fighting for the DRC, who were nevertheless preparing to launch attacks on the mining city of Rubaya that the M23 is protecting at all costs.

By retaking Ngungu, the RDF-M23 coalition subsequently succeeded in breaking through the wall of resistance to the point of crossing the borders of the neighboring province of South Kivu.

Ngungu, the misfortune of Lumbishi

The fall of the city of Ngungu negatively affected the morale of the soldiers engaged on the front lines, to the point of allowing the RDF and M23 to advance in Kasake, as far as the locality of Lumbishi in the territory of Kalehe in South Kivu.

"We were surprised to see the enemy approaching Lumbishi so quickly when we thought the threat was still very far from our village. We cannot understand how the rebels ended up here, yet the FARDC, the Wazalendo and the Burundian soldiers are still near Kamatale, Kabingo, Ruzirantaka," Saying , the residents of Lumbishi who were  fleeing.

The funnel theory to suffocate Goma and extend the plundering of minerals

This dizzying progression of the Rwandan army and the M23 rebels would aim not only to further suffocate the city of Goma, already surrounded from Kibumba to Sake, but also to push Kinshasa to negotiate directly with the "M23 terrorists", a condition that Kinshasa has always rejected.

In front of ambassadors and representatives of international organizations, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, recently reiterated his clear position of never considering direct dialogue with the M23. He specified that he did not intend to give in to any international pressure to dialogue with a group that he describes as "terrorist."

The advance of the M23-RDF army in the territory of Kalehe, in the province of South Kivu, is a godsend for Rwanda and its ally to extend their zone of plundering of natural resources, believes Mupenzi Mvuyekure, a notable of Kalehe.

The villages of Lumbishi and Shanje, occupied by the rebels since last weekend, are rich in raw materials such as tourmaline, coltan, cassiterite, gold and several others.

The mining town of Numbi also came under the control of the Rwandan army and M23 this evening, while several other credible sources claim that the M23 rebels intend to continue the conquest of the village of Nyabibwe in South Kivu province, whose subsoil is full of resources such as gold, coltan, manganese, cassiterite and tourmaline.

To achieve this, the M23 army simultaneously launched attacks on Monday, January 20 against FARDC positions on all axes that could lead them to the town of Minova, the only food supply route to the city of Goma, which remains under the control of the Congolese army. Population movements have been observed there since the early hours of the day, despite assurances from the Congolese military authorities. The latest information in the area is that the villages of Bitaata, Bitonga, Buyaga and Bishange have come under the control of the  M23.

This progression of the M23, supported by Rwanda, worries the populations living around Lake Kivu, who are calling on the Congolese government to redouble its efforts to definitively put an end to these conflicts.

In an official tweet, the Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs reacted to President Tshisekedi's position of not engaging in direct dialogue with the M23, while remaining open to continuing the Luanda process. Olivier Nduhungirehe writes: "And yet, the Luanda process can never resume and succeed without a firm commitment from the Democratic Republic of Congo to engage directly with the AFC-M23."

GOMA city is per now gettingcompletely isolated by the M23?

According to intelligence reports and analysis,All food supply routes are cut off, from Kibumba to Sake, with the exception of Minova, which remains the last bulwark and where the situation is becoming increasingly chaotic.

Between eradicating this existential threat now, activating his last card with his sincere allies or negotiating on his knees with the "M23 terrorists", President Félix Tshisekedi is facing his destiny and the future of a united Congo.

Moreover, President Tshisekedi could so far count on the resilience and resistance of the population of the region who 30 years later, remain attached to a united Congo and remain resistant to the Rwandan aggression in DRC.

Frontline Report:Current situation on the different front lines this Monday 20/January/2025

 

1) The clashes resumed early this morning of this Monday 20/January, between the FARDC supported by the WAZALENDO against the Rwandan army in MASISI center and its surroundings.

2) The clashes oppose the FARDC to the M23-RDF coalition on the hill of bukarara, a strategic point to dominate the locality of KIMOKA, on the edge of the road connecting sake - KITCHANGA.

3) More than 25 bombs were dropped around the city of SAKE this 20/January/2025.

This Rwandan Army is dropped bombs blindly on the civilian population.

4) The clashes are concentrated on the SAKE-KITCHANGA axis.

The m23 army has just thrown a bomb at the church of the CEPAC in SAKE.Meanwhile, other fighting is underway around Bweremana, precisely near the agglomeration of Bitoka in Masisi territory. The population is fleeing en masse following the loud detonations that hit several villages near the Lukala assembly line. This poor population had already returned to their villages.

The population is fleeing towards Bweremana and Minova. A tense climate is even pushing students to return home, as is the case at the Saint Charles Lwanga Institute in Minova.

At least six fighters from the Twirwaneho self-defense group were neutralized on Sunday, January 19, 2025 in the Ugeafi locality near the Lwiko River in South Kivu province.

 In a statement, the FARDC claimed to have neutralized six Twirwaneho elements, and injured eight others.

Yesterday morning, the Makanika  coalition allied with the Red Tabara, Rwanda's valet through the AFC/M23 attacked the position of the FARDC army of the 132nd battalion of the 13th Rapid Reaction Brigade based in the locality known as Ugeafi, near the Lwiko River. Faced with this attack, your army, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reacted and thwarted it, inflicting a significant loss," said Lieutenant Elongo Kyondwa Marc, FARDC spokesperson in the Sukola 2 South operational sector of South Kivu.

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo say they are ready to respond to any attempted attack by the enemy who has only one vision, that of sowing terror and destabilizing the country's institutions.

The army claims that the situation is calm. It calls on the population to go about their business freely and, above all, to collaborate in order to foil the Machiavellian plan of the enemies of the Republic.

In Katale/Masisi the Wazalendo claim cutting the route for the supplies of the M23RDF.

 

17/01/2025

Reports from civilians:

This morning, clashes continued between the Rwandan army supported by the M23 rebellion and the Wazalendo in Katal and Rukicha, respectively 12 and 17km from Masisi Center, as well as in Kanii, a village located 3km from Masisi Center .

However, around 8:45 am, our sources report precarious calm.

In the territory of Lubero, the M23 RDFs share the  control of Luofu with the FARDC. Calm is also observed there.

For 3 hours, the clashes have been reported between the M23_RDF and Wazalendo in Kashuga, a village located in the Bashali Mukoto group in the Bashali chiefdom.

Eyeing Alimbongo,the FARDC managed to dislodge, this Friday, January 17 morning, the M23 rebels from Kasake, a hill overlooking the town of Ngungu.

Our Precise Report from Lubero:

A few days after the capture of the Mining and Agricultural city of Ngungu by the Rwandan army, supported by the M23 rebellion, which facilitated a small advance of the rebels to kasake, our intelligence collections from the area affirm that the Fardc, supported by the Wazalendo and the army of Burundi, a country that is in bilateral cooperation with the DRC, stopped the advance of the rebels and chased them from the village of Kasake.

Intelligence from two Frontline affirm that the Congolese army, with its allies, has once again approached the city of Ngungu where the population that had remained there, during the reoccupation of this city by the Rwandan army and M23, has been emptying since yesterday. Some are heading towards Goma and others are heading to the surrounding areas.

According to intelligence report to me,the Fardc, Wazalendo and allies are in Kadahandwa, less than 4km from Ngungu.Furthermore, the Fardc and Wazalendo have still not recovered the locality of Alimbongo, contrary to false information according to which the Fardc would have regained control of this locality, in the territory of Lubero.

The army is advancing with determination for the imminent reconquest of this city and th sorrounding localities.

Colonel and military administrator of Lubero territory, Alain kiwewa, launched a curse on Rwandan President Paul kagame, while accusing him of being at the origin of the troubles in the eastern part of the DRC.

USA dismayed by Kagame's military stunts in North Kivu

 

United States of America expresses its dismay at the extent of Rwanda's military activities in North Kivu province, alongside the M23 rebels. This increased activism by Rwandan soldiers is confirmed by the latest report of the United Nations Group of Experts on the security situation in eastern DRC.

In a statement published on its website on Wednesday, January 15, the US State Department denounced the deployment by the Rwandan army of sophisticated military equipment in the region, including GPS-guided mortars. mortars.

"The United States condemns the unlawful presence of several thousand Rwandan troops in the DRC, as well as Rwanda's support for and direction of the U.N.- and U.S.-sanctioned M23 militia, and Rwanda's use of surface-to-air missile systems, GPS-guided mortars, and anti-tank missiles," the State Department said.

The statement also highlights GPS jamming activities carried out by the Rwandan army and the M23, which jeopardize humanitarian air operations in the region.

“Rwanda and M23 must immediately cease their GPS jamming and spoofing activities, which continue to impede MONUSCO air operations and UN humanitarian flights in North Kivu. These actions endanger UN and humanitarian personnel while blocking much-needed assistance to civilians suffering from violence,” the US State Department added.

The recently published report also confirms Rwanda's hierarchy over the M23, as well as the massive deployment of soldiers and advanced military equipment in North kivu.

Thirty-seven (37) former hostages of the ADF rebels were handed over to civil society in Beni this Thursday, January 16, 2025, in the province of North Kivu, in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo

 

The ceremony was facilitated by the Sokola 1 Grand Nord operational sector in front of certain competent authorities. These former hostages were abducted by the attackers, mostly in the fields during rural activities, particularly in Beni, Lubero, Irumu and Mambasa in Ituri.

"37 former hostages recovered by the joint FARDC-UPDF force have just been handed over to the civil society of Beni city and territory this Thursday. They are 07 men and 18 women , 12 children," said Lieutenant-Colonel Mak Hazukay, spokesperson for the Sokola 1 Grand Nord operational sector.

According to this military officer, an M23 fighter recruited in Ituri surrendered to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Civil society in the city of Beni, through its president, Maître Pépin Kavotha, calls on the population to welcome these civilians and accept them into their families.

As a reminder, several other former hostages were handed over to civil society and MONUSCO last year in the same region in the presence of certain security authorities.

 More than ten (10) people died in an attack attributed to the rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the territory of Lubero (North Kivu), this Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

According to the military administrator of the said territory, who confirmed the in the ADF targeted the village of Makoko located in the chiefdom of Baswagha where they killed these civilians.

"There was an incursion by the ADF into Makoko. It is a village located near Muhangi in the chiefdom of Baswagha. For the moment, our defence elements are working to reassure the security of the population," said Colonel Kiwewa Mitela, administrator of the Lubero territory.

Civil society speaks out about the confused situation in Makoko after this deadly attack.

"Several civilians were killed by the ADF in Makoko. There were about ten dead. Among the victims was the Mwami of the Bulengya group. They fell into an ambush set by the enemy in Luthambi," declared César Kambale Mughutha, president of the youth in Baswagha.

Following this incursion, socio-economic activities were paralyzed in Makoko, and even in the Muhangi agglomeration, independent sources reported.

"In Muhangi and surrounding areas, activities have been paralyzed following the ADF attack in Makoko. Students were sent home early due to fear," said a local resident on condition of anonymity.

This situation worries local civil society. It calls on the military authorities to quickly get to work to confront the enemy “who wants to destabilize this part that supplies the city of Butembo with food.”

It should be noted that the ADF rebels have, in recent days, intensified attacks in certain towns of Bapere and Baswagha in Lubero territory, causing deaths of men alongside the property of the population reduced to ashes.