MONUSCO increases backing for the Congolese army coalition while ignoring the M23 rebel warning

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) said in a statement on Friday, January 24, that it continues to support the Congolese army (FARDC) in their efforts “to stop the territorial expansion” of the rebels in the vast province of North Kivu as AFC/M23 rebels approach Goma, the capital of the province.

According to the statement, UN soldiers were moved to key sites to strengthen their deployment in and around Goma, while MONUSCO heavy artillery conducted fire missions against M23 rebel strongholds in Sake, a town less than 30 kilometers from Goma.

Wounded Peacekeepers

Sake was taken by the insurgents on Thursday, one day early. Additionally, MONUSCO’s declaration was made the day after Maj Gen. Peter Chirimwami, the military governor of North Kivu Province, was assassinated by the rebels. According to reports, Chirimwami visited areas close to Sake on Thursday where the rebels and the government army coalition fought.

The MONUSCO statement went on to say: “The Mission has also supported the deployment of Congolese forces’ heavy artillery and attack helicopters destroying M23 equipment and conducted joint day and night patrols with FARDC.”

Additionally, MONUSCO’s Quick Reaction Forces (QRF) have been actively participating in fierce fighting, exhibiting professionalism and resiliency. Five peacekeepers were injured on Friday during these clashes in Sake, while four others were just slightly hurt yesterday, Thursday. Medical attention is presently being given to the nine injured peacekeepers.

In a military struggle that has raged since late 2021, the M23 rebel group, which is a member of the wider Congo River Alliance (AFC), has already taken control of substantial areas of North Kivu Province.

“Avoid getting involved in a war that is forced upon us.”

Earlier this week, the rebels claimed that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc’s blue helmets and troops had not complied with their request to “refrain from intervening in the war imposed upon us by the forces of the coalition of the Kinshasa regime.”

As a result, the rebels adamantly reaffirmed that they will be forced to use their “full rights to legitimate self-defense” if “these two forces of the UN and SADC get involved, collaborate, or provide direct or indirect support in the ongoing conflict.”

The Southern African Development Community’s military, Burundian soldiers, European mercenaries, the FDLR, a militia connected to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi, and other indigenous Congolese militia organizations make up the coalition government.
Remaining members of the 1994 Genocide offenders formed the FDLR, a terrorist organization recognized by the United Nations.

The genocidal militia has attacked Rwandan land over the past 20 years and is one among the more than 200 militia groups inflicting havoc in eastern DR Congo. It is charged with propagating hate speech, advocating genocide, and persecuting the Banyamulenge and Tutsi groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) fully acknowledges the intolerable suffering endured by the people of Goma,” the rebels declared in a statement on January 24. Their appeal for freedom and harmony has been heard. As a result, we implore the Congolese people to maintain their composure and get ready to welcome AFC/M23, which is steadfastly dedicated to establishing peace and stability in the area. We are moving on to free our fellow citizens in Goma and to give the Congolese people their security and dignity back.

The rebels had, among other things, called on MONUSCO and the forces of the SADC mission “to disassociate themselves from the coalition of negative forces that threaten peace and stability in the region” on January 22.

After the M23 had not engaged in combat for almost ten years, tensions between the rebel group and the Congolese army reignited in November 2021.

The Congolese army is accused by the rebels of working with militias like the FDLR, which have been persecuting Congolese Tutsi villages and destabilizing the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo for almost 30 years.

Rwanda and DR Congo ties have been impacted by the conflict, which has not been resolved by a number of regional peace attempts. Kinshasa has accused Kigali of aiding the rebels. The Rwandan government denies the accusations and issues a warning that the Congolese army and FDLR are working together, endangering Rwanda’s security.

For about thirty years, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is home to over 200 armed organizations both domestically and internationally, has remained unstable.