By KT Reporter
More than 10 March 23 Movement (M23) fighters have reportedly been killed by bombs and strikes fired by Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers as well as coalition at Minembwe airfield and surrounding areas in South Kivu province.
Since the weekend, fighting between FARDC soldiers and the coalition against M23 rebels and the coalition of Twirwaneho militia has been ongoing in several areas of South Kivu province, specifically at Minembwe airfield, in the high plateau of Fizi and in Uvira and Kaziba.
On Monday, Bertrand Bisimwa, M23 President, released a statement accusing FARDC soldiers and the coalition of using fighter jets (Sukhoi) and attack drones to bomb several villages in Minembwe. He argued that the bombings were targeting areas occupied by Banyamulenge tribe civilians as well as Minembwe airfield that acts as a main aviation route connecting the area.
But, on Tuesday night, Jean Jacques Elakano, vice-governor of South Kivu province, released a statement saying the operation by the army and coalition made it possible to destroy all the aircraft transporting the M23 rebels from Bukavu city, leaving more than 10 of them killed.
Elakano says that the airfield was being used to supply local armed groups Twirwaneho and Red Tabara with ammunition and military equipment, thus supporting the M23 rebels. He argues that the FARDC and coalition are under pressure from M23 rebels, who want to go through Kaziba at all costs to join up with those in Minembwe and set the Fizi and Uvira territories ablaze. “That is why there were these intense attacks on the Minembwe airfield, which was already in the hands of some Rwandan auxiliaries, such as Twirwaneho and their allies from Red Tabara, who wanted to disturb the peace and security of the population in the region. That is why the military high command seized the opportunity to neutralize these aircraft that were making the connection between Bukavu and Minembwe, “says Elakano in a statement.
He adds that since Kaziba is a strategic area for all the belligerents, its fall into the hands of m23 rebels would allow the rebels to freely connect with Twiraneho and also make them strengthen Burundian rebels allied with Twiraneho in the highlands of Fizi territory.
This could also make the M23 rebels open access to Tanganyika province and the city of Uvira. Last month, the Twirwaneho armed group announced a coalition with M23 rebels in a fight against the government.
This followed the killing of their leader, Gen. Michel Rukund, commonly known as Makanika, by FARDC soldiers. Since the resumption of the M23 insurgency in 2022, led by Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga, the DR Congo government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23, a claim that both Rwanda and M23 deny.
The rebels assert that their fight is against corruption, xenophobia and discrimination within the DR Congo’s leadership-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
