In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the security situation remains uncertain, especially around Kibumba, about twenty kilometers from the provincial capital, Goma. Clashes in the area between the Congolese army and M23 rebels began on Saturday 12 November.
With our special correspondent in Goma, Coralie Pierret
The M23 claimed responsibility for taking Kibumba on Wednesday, November 16, in a press release. Conversely, a military source claims to control several localities of this group. The Congolese army continues its recruitment and this Friday, November 18, about 500 young people were sent to Kinshasa, by plane, for their training.
“ We are at war »
Colonel Faustin Ndakala motivates his troops: “ We are at war. did you understand me ? “.
These young recruits have pledged to join the ranks of the Congolese army. In the square of future officers, one of them would like to join the commandos: “ In the army, we also train people to become someone in life. Not just anyone can run for the army. People believe that the Congolese army is anybody. No, no, street children are not like that. The army is for intellectuals. »
” Luck does not smile on us »
If young graduates have signed up to defend the homeland, they say, others are pushed to join for lack of an alternative. ” For the majority, unemployment is raging. This is my case, for example, who graduated in social sciences and administrative policy. This step means that we really want it but we also want other opportunities, like the others, but hey… luck does not smile on us. »
For Colonel Guillaume Njiké, spokesperson for the FARDC in the province, this recruitment is not intended to fill the gaps in the Congolese army: “ The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo suffer from nothing. The staff that are there are able to deal with any eventuality. The people say to themselves: enough is enough “. We will get together with our army so that they can put the enemy out of harm’s way “.
Read also: M23 rebellion in the DRC: meeting between the heads of American and Rwandan diplomacy
According to the army, around 2,000 young people have enlisted in the region.