The regional force of the East African Community (EAC) is fully booked in the DRC. With troops from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and South Sudan, this force is present in the territories of Rutshuru, Masisi and Nyiragongo, in the province of North Kivu where several armed groups are active, including the M23. Despite criticism from Kinshasa, the EAC welcomes the progress made and calls for international support for this force. A new step in this deployment was taken on Monday 1 May.
With our correspondent in Kinshasa,Patient Ligodi
Ugandan troops deployed in the city of Mabenga, in the territory of Rutshuru. Columns of vehicles, including battle tanks, arrived Monday in this strategic area, located about 100 km from Goma.
With this movement, the Ugandan contingent completes its deployment in the area reserved for it. He was already in Bunagana, Chengerero and Kiwanja, still in Rutshuru territory.
The Ugandan soldiers share control of some of these areas with the M23, which annoys the Congolese authorities, who do not hide their anger at the slow pace of this withdrawal.
In the meantime, Kenya has officially contacted the EAC General Secretariat and transmitted the identity of the new regional force commander : This is Major General Alphaxard Kiugu. He replaces Jeff Nyagah who was much criticized in Kinshasa.
This regional force is tasked with enforcing the ceasefire and supervising the withdrawal of the M23. Which withdrawal seems to have stalled for a few weeks, the group supported by Kigali, according to UN experts, still hopes for a direct dialogue with Kinshasa.