The Congolese government has relieved Brigadier General Évariste Mwehu Lungu of his duties as the commander of the military operations in the operational sector Sokola 2, which covers the South of the province of North Kivu.
The Congolese Minister of National Defense and Veterans, Gilbert Kabanda announced the development, saying that they have observed failures in their offensive against the M23 rebels in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu the province last week.
The Congolese Minister of National Defense and Veterans, Gilbert Kabanda, says that because of the failures they have observed in their offensives on the rebel positions, Major General Peter Cirimwami has replaced Mwehu.
He says that Ciriwani has taken over command with immediate effect. He says that the joint military operations involving FARDC and the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) troops at the border will continue normally.
The Congolese Communication Minister and Spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, has also confirmed the changes, saying that the government salutes the memory of the valiant soldiers who paid the price of their lives to defend the country and presented its condolences to their respective families.
“All the units deployed in the operational sector of Ituri remain on alert and determined to put an end to the perpetrators of insecurity in the eastern part of the country,” Muyuya said in his statement. Fresh fighting between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers in Rutshuru Territory broke out on February 28, 2022.
Rebels attacked and captured three military positions in Tchanzu, Runyoni, and Ndiza Rutshuru Territory, North Kivu province, about three kilometres to the main Uganda-DRC border. Fighting also broke around mid-day a day after in the hills of Murujinga, Rwanguba, and Mukiharo-Bunagana, three kilometers to the main border of Uganda-DRC as the rebels attempted to overrun the Bunagana border.
FARDC troops repulsed the rebels in a clash that lasted for about three and a half hours. Four M23 rebels and three FARDC soldiers lost their lives in Murujinga andMukiharo-Bunagana. The government troops also 10 rebels while 17 FARDC soldiers escaped with injuries.
Only of the FARDC soldiers killed during the clashes have been identified as Colonel Alege Commander of the 3409th regiment who came to reinforce the 3413th regiment and Major Ewayo, the Commander of the 34321st company based in Chanzu. Nearly 36,000 people have since been displaced by the fighting, with many crossings into Kisoro district in Uganda while others moved to Rutshuru town.
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