KINSHASA: Ugandan Deploys UPDF Army To Northeastern DR Congo
The Ugandan army acknowledged on Sunday that it has moved troops to another town in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo to confront local armed groups.
This move raises concerns that a raging conflict could escalate into a larger war.
“Our troops have entered Mahagi town and we are in control,” Uganda’s defence and military affairs spokesman Felix Kulayigye told AFP Sunday.
The Congolese army requested the deployment in response to reported civilian atrocities by a group known as the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (Codeco), he stated, without providing any other information.
Our new operation against CODECO in DRC is called 'Operation Fred Rwigyema Gisa!' We shall not let him down!
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) March 1, 2025
According to humanitarian and local sources, at least 51 people were killed by armed individuals linked with Codeco on February 10 in Mahagi, Ituri province, which borders Uganda.
Codeco claims to be defending the interests of the Lendu community, primarily farmers, against the Hema group, primarily herders.
Update 🔴: While the Republican Guard is carrying out an endurance march which takes place in Kinshasa🇨🇩, to reassure the Congolese that they are very strong, the Ugandan army 🇺🇬 is also carrying out its endurance march where it has occupied the Mahagi airfield, territory of… pic.twitter.com/Beg14qjvtX
— Kivu News 24 (@kivunews24) March 1, 2025
Uganda already has thousands of troops stationed in other parts of Ituri as part of an agreement with the Congolese government.
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Last month, Uganda stated that its troops had “taken control” of Bunia, the regional capital.
Ituri is located close north of the provinces of North and South Kivu, which were taken over by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels at the end of January.
Analysts believe that Uganda and Rwanda’s expanding presence in eastern DRC would lead to a resurgence of the so-called Second Congo War, which lasted from 1998 to 2003.
It affected several African countries and resulted in millions of fatalities from warfare, illness, and famine.
KINSHASA: Ugandan Deploys UPDF Army To Northeastern DR Congo
