Summary:
- The M23, which had been inactive for nearly a decade, launched an offensive in North Kivu towards the end of 2021, subsequently gaining control of extensive territories. The M23 rebels’ actions have prompted many Congolese to flee the DRC and seek refuge in Uganda.
KISORO: Women and children are reported to be many among the refugees that seek refuge in Uganda fearing attacks by the ongoing fighting between M23 rebels and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forces in North Kivu province in eastern DRC.
On Sunday evening, the M23 rebels captured the Ishasha border post in the DRC, an area bordering Kanungu District. This capture followed the recent takeover of Nyamilima in the east on the final day of a “humanitarian truce.”
The M23, which had been inactive for nearly a decade, launched an offensive in North Kivu towards the end of 2021, subsequently gaining control of extensive territories. The M23 rebels’ actions have prompted many Congolese to flee the DRC and seek refuge in Uganda.
On Sunday evening, the capture of the Ishasha border post led to 2,000 Congolese fleeing to Uganda. However, Emmy Munyontore, the Commandant at Nyakabande Transit Center in Kisoro District, reported that the M23 rebels later addressed the refugees, assured them of their safety, and asked them to return to their homes. Munyontore revealed that 619 Congolese are currently at the Matanda screening center in Kanungu District.
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Badru Ssebyala, without disclosing specific numbers, noted that most of the refugees at the Nyakabande Transit Center are women and children. He questioned why there are fewer men among the refugees and indicated that security agencies are investigating this trend.
Ssebyala assured that despite the fighting extending to the Ishasha border post, the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and other security agencies are on high alert in Kisoro to ensure the safety of residents.
CUE IN RDC SSEBYALA….ON THE MATTER……LUG/ENG//
Commandant Munyontore also reported that Nyakabande Transit Center currently houses 1,839 refugees who fled DRC due to fears of rebel attacks. He noted that the center is facing challenges due to the spontaneous return of refugees, which has raised security concerns.
CUE IN MUNYONTORE….ON REFUGEES AND CHALLENGES…..RR/ENG//
The eastern region of the DRC, rich in minerals, has experienced 30 years of conflict involving local and foreign armed factions, stemming from the regional conflicts of the 1990s.
