The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have captured Kiwanja Town in the Rutshuru territory, North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from the M23 rebels.
This brings the total number of towns captured by the UPDF since their deployment to the region to three. A contingent of 5,000 soldiers was deployed to the DRC on March 30 as part of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) for a peace keeping mission.
In a statement released by the UPDF today, Col Michael Walakal Hyeroba, the contingent commander of the UPDF in DRC, said the successive deployment of the Uganda contingent troops and the withdraw of the M23 is in compliance with the decision and consideration of 20th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State in Bujumbura, Burundi February.
“The summit directed for the serial withdraw and deployment of the East African Community Regional Force and the immediate posturing of the troops in areas vacated by the M23,” Col Hyeroba said.
He added that the Congolese, who fled their homes over fear that the UPDF and the rebels would be engaged in battle, are now free to return home.
“The East African Community Regional Force is a neutral force meant to secure a peaceful and a stable environment for feature stability and a creation of a condition for normalcy,” he said.
There are also a proliferating number of conventional armies operating in the region.
