By Nearly 100 police officers from the Democratic Republic of Congo have fled to neighboring Uganda as fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese military intensifies in Congo’s eastern regions. The officers crossed into Uganda over the weekend, according to a statement from the Ugandan military on Monday.
The officers, numbering 98, arrived via the Ishasha border crossing in the Kanungu district of southwestern Uganda, confirmed Major Klocon Tabaro, a regional spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defense Forces. The officers brought with them 43 guns and ammunition, which were subsequently disarmed by Ugandan authorities.
“They were fleeing fighting by M23 and other militias and the Congo military; there’s a lot of violence there, and then there’s also hunger,” Major Tabaro said, highlighting the dire conditions driving the officers to seek refuge across the border.
In addition to the police officers, the ongoing conflict has forced at least 2,500 Congolese civilians to flee into Uganda over the past four days, further escalating the humanitarian crisis. “The main push factor is the intensifying violence and insecurity,” Tabaro noted, adding that pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and young children are among the refugees seeking safety.
The M23 rebel group has been waging a fresh insurgency in Congo’s mineral-rich eastern regions since 2022. The group, primarily composed of Tutsi fighters, has repeatedly seized large areas of land, leading to widespread displacement and instability.
A United Nations report seen by Reuters last month accused Uganda of providing support to the M23 rebels, a claim that Uganda denies. Additionally, the U.N. has long accused Rwanda of backing the M23, an allegation that Rwanda has also denied.
The Congolese military has intensified its efforts to push back the rebels, deploying troops and aircraft to the conflict zones. However, despite these efforts, the rebels have continued to expand their territorial control, causing further unrest in the region.
The recent fighting has centered around the town of Kanyabayonga, whose location on a high plateau makes it a significant gateway to other parts of eastern Congo’s North Kivu province. The strategic importance of such locations has made them focal points in the ongoing conflict, with control over these areas being highly contested.
As the conflict continues, the influx of refugees into Uganda is expected to rise, putting additional pressure on humanitarian resources and regional stability. The international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and the potential for further displacement of civilians in the region.
Source: Reuters
