Lieutenant Colonel Museme Festus was reportedly captured with 22 of his fighters in clashes between the FARDC and Rwandan Hutu rebels of FDLR in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. For the past week, heavy fighting has been reported in Kazaroho in the Tongo group in Rutshuru territory in North Kivu where the Congolese army is trying to capture FDLR stronghold in the area.
The FDLR attacked a convoy that was supplying the FARDC elements with food in Kabarozi wanting to apprehend the vehicle. The clashes lasted for more than half an hour. Three FARDC elements were injured, 2 combatants killed and two weapons recovered. While clashes continued on the other side in Kawunga, in the Kazaroho area, the FDLR of the Sinayi battalion wanted to recover Kazaroho. The battle lasted for 4 hours of combat that repelled the FDLR. Shortly after Lieutenant Colonel Museme Festus, who led the operation, was arrested. 18 combatants lost their lives while 5 others, wounded, were transported to Kiwanja by MONUSCO.
However, one of the civil society organisations in Rutshuru who is closely monitoring the situation has denied this information. According to this organisation at the moment there is no indication that this FDLR officer has been captured. Adding that if the information was real, images would be available to attest to this news.
Several people have been forced to flee their villages in Masisi territory in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, precisely in North Kivu. These Congolese fled the activities of local armed groups, most of them in the Bashali chiefdom. The elected officials of this entity alerted the security crisis and called for the intervention of the national authorities as quickly as possible.
“With the activism of the NDC-R, the territory of Masisi in Bashali and Bafuna has a security challenge, the harassment of which the populations are victims. There are also the APCLS and Nyatura who carry out atrocities against civilians in Lukweti, Bibo and Ruhinzi. These despicable acts caused massive displacements of the population towards Lushebere, Katale, and Bukombo. Today the Bashali chiefdom is under fire and blood because the population lives the ordeal ” Provincial Deputy Niyetegeka Bwere Gerlandm, deplored with a strong tone .
A situation that must end as soon as possible to allow calm to return to the area.
“We call on the Congolese authorities to intervene as quickly as possible in order to put an end to the abuses by armed groups, especially in the Bashali and Bafuna. We demand that operations can be launched concretely against these rebels. There is the presence of the Congolese Armed Forces but we notice the inaction “added the elected official of Masisi territory.
As a reminder, for years the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) have been carrying out operations through the Sokola 2 Operational Sector against armed groups. Operations that have already forced several warlords to surrender including the self-proclaimed General Delta of Nyatura.
By decision of the Provincial Governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita, road traffic between Butembo and Goma in North Kivu resumed on Thursday, April 23, 2020. The drivers of different agencies working in Butembo city did not hide their satisfaction after this reopening.
“We are delighted to have resumed daily travel along this axis which links Butembo and Goma, the capital of the province of North Kivu. We give thanks to God for his protection, but we call on our friends drivers and travelers to always observe the rules of hygiene “said one of them.
The traffic resumed after a week without normal traffic in this part of North Kivu. This lifting of the measure comes after the announcement by Governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita of 4 Covid-19 cured out of the 5 patients in North Kivu, including 3 in Goma and 2 in Beni.
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