The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kivu, DRC | THE INDEPENDENT | Fierce fighting between the M23 rebels and the Militia Coalition under the Wazalendo (Patriots) umbrella has resumed in North Kivu province, in the Democratic of Congo (DRC) after a five-day lull.
Bertrand Bisimwa, the M23 rebels’ President accused Wazalendo and the government army of launching the attacks at M23 positions in Bwiza, Masisi territory. Bisimwa, however, says that M23 will continue defending itself and protecting civilians.
“Since Saturday, October 21, forces loyal to Kinshasa FDLR/FARDC/Mercenaries/Reservist Militia have been attacking, with heavy artillery, the Bwiza displaced persons’ camp. They intend to exterminate the survivors of Masisi who took refuge there. The forces of the Congolese Revolutionary Army, ARC/M23 perform well on the battlefield. They defend their positions and perfectly ensure the protection of the displaced/survivors of Masisi and all the populations present in its area”, Bisimwa said in a statement.
Wazalendo has not released a statement about the fight. But a source told our reporter on condition of anonymity that by 3 p.m. on Saturday, fighting was also raging in Kitchanga town with its small part under the control of Wazalendo and a bigger part under M23 rebels.
Fighting is also happening at Burungu Hill which overlooks the city of Kitchanga. The M23 rebels shelled it from the Kitchanga centre. M23 were however still facing Wazalendo’s resistance at Kabalekasha about 7km from Kitchanga from advancing to Burungu.
The last gun sound in North Kivu had been heard on Monday, October 16, when a yet-to-be-identified armed group staged an ambush against Ugandan troops on a peacekeeping mission in the area and left two of the soldiers injured.
The ambush happened at the Rukoro-Buari area along the Rutshuru-Bunagana road when troops attached to the logistics department were heading to the Uganda-DRC border of Bunagana from Kiwanja for a re-supply of necessities. The troops managed to retaliate and defeated the attackers before proceeding to Bunagana.
No armed group came out to claim responsibility for the ambush. The M23 rebels through their spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka condemned the attack and accused the DR Congo army and Militia Coalition under the Wazalendo (patriots) Umbrella of ambushing the Ugandan troops as a way of destabilizing the mission towards peace restoration in North Kivu using dialogue.
In March 2022, M23 rebels led by Bertrand Bisimwa and General Sultan Makenga launched a war against the DRC government which they accused of bad leadership. But the government accuses Rwanda of fuelling the war.
****
URN
