DRC ARMED FORCES CLASH WITH REBELS OF THE ALLIED DEMOCRATIC FORCES (ADF)

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) claim to have neutralised 4 rebels including 3 from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and 1 Mayi-Mayi militiaman in two attacks in the Ruwenzori sector, in the Beni territory (North Kivu), Monday February 22, 2021.

According to the military spokesperson for Sokola 1 operations in Far North Kivu, Lieutenant Anthony Mualushayi, the enemy was subdued while he wanted to attack loyalist forces.

“We retaliated against rebel threats in the Ruwenzori region. In Mighende, 2 rebels were killed by elements of 1201 regiment which intervened during an ambush aimed at vehicles of civilians leaving for Kasindi. 3 weapons including 2 AK-47 and PKM from the enemy were recovered. In Lume, 1 Mai-Mai militiaman was killed. Unfortunately here, an element of the FARDC died by mob justice. He was confused by young people in the region like ADF as he left the front line. In Kilya, another ADF was shot dead. Here, the attack which targeted the MONUSCO position was quickly brought under control the same day, ”he told local press.

For some time now, the Ruwenzori sector has seen a multitude of attacks blamed on the rebels of Allied Democratic Forces. On Tuesday, the army launched an operation called “Ruwenzori 2” to try to annihilate the enemy.

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) announced this Tuesday, February 23, 2021, the launch of an operation called “Ruwenzori 2”, which aims to put an end to the repetitive attacks by the rebels of Allied Democratic Forces ( ADF) in this part of the territory of Beni (North Kivu).

This is a second military operation after the so-called “large-scale” one launched in late October 2019 to notably pacify the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Two days ago, the FARDC launched an operation called Ruwenzori 2 with the objective of stopping the recurrent attacks on the civilian population in Ruwenzori. But also, neutralise the ADF and their crutches that scour this sector, ”said to the local press, Anthony Mualushayi, spokesperson for the Sokola 1 operational sector in Far North Kivu.

Last Monday, ADF rebels ambushed a convoy on the Beni-Kasindi stretch of road, killing two people. An umpteenth murderous violence denounced by the loyalist forces.

As a reminder, the Congolese army launched, on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, “large-scale” operations with the priority of destroying the nuisance capacity of many armed groups still active in eastern DRC and restoring the state authority. But so far, scenes of murders can be seen in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. This has already led to massive displacements of inhabitants and caused the death of thousands of civilians since 2014.

Meanwhile, 20 elements of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and those of the Congolese National Police (PNC) prosecuted for rape in the territories of Kabare and Uvira have been appearing since Monday, February 22, 2021, in Sange, in the southern part of the province of South Kivu.

According to Magistrate- Colonel Innocent Mayembe Sangai, first vice-president of the military court of South Kivu, these alleged rapists appeared in open court so that the victims can attend until their judgment.

“These are the cases of sexual violence in which 20 soldiers and police are involved. We chose the city of Sange for the mobile hearings because in this environment, another soldier had killed ten civilians. We want to show, for educational reasons, that the military are not above the law, ”he explained.

The vice-president of the Military Court of South Kivu specifies that 16 alleged rapists committed their offense in the territory of Uvira and 4 others in the territory of Kabare.

Magistrate- Colonel Innocent Mayembe Sangai, said that the acts for which these soldiers and police are being prosecuted were committed in May 2020.

It should be noted that these mobile hearings go until March 4, 2021 and are held with funding from the European Union through the Panzi foundation.