Uganda Deploys Troups to Eastern Congo to help DRC

Uganda Deploys Troups to Eastern Congo to help DRC

Uganda has deployed over 1,000 extra soldiers in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, near where the Central African nation is fighting M23 rebels.

The U.N. sources said there are now between 4,000-5,000 Ugandan soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo who are backing the nation’s army as they fight the rebels who have gained territory in the eastern regions.

Uganda has been helping DRC’s army against another rebel force, the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and the new deployment of between 1,000-2,000 troops was under that auspice in a push called Operation Shujaa, the sources said.

Despite the information by U.N. sources, Uganda’s army spokesperson, Felix Kulayigye, denied a major new deployment and said Kampala’s forces had changed their “posture to offensive defense,” without giving further details.

Patrick Muyaya, DRC’s Communications Minister, did not respond to questions on whether Ugandan troops had arrived in the nation. However, he stressed that the priority of the East African nation’s soldiers who are in the area were mandated with fighting the ADF, though combat with M23 rebels was also possible.

U.N. experts are on record having alleged that Uganda has in the past backed the M23 — allegations that have also extended toward DRC’s neighboring Rwanda. However, both Kampala and Kigali have denied backing the rebels.

Muyaya said “there’s still a lot of suspicion about Uganda, a lot of suspicion about what’s generally happening with the M23.”

Source: Reuters