DR Congo Troops Kill 49 ADF Rebels, Capture 10, As State Of Siege Continues

The Democratic Republic of Congo army has so far killed 49 rebels of the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and captured 10 others in North Kivu as the state of siege declared in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu on May 6, 2021 continues.

The army also on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 captured important ADF sanctuaries and retrieved large quantities of arms and ammunition.

“The operations currently going on have given us the following balance sheet: human balance sheet shows; 49 terrorists killed whose corpses we have seen, ten ADF rebels captured, 85 collaborators arrested whom we have put at the disposal of the military judiciary,” said  Patrick Muyaya, DR Congo’s Minister of Communication and Media. 

“For materials, 34 arms and ammunition of all calibres recovered, six vehicles and ten motor-bikes arrested. On the operational plan, we have occupied important sanctuaries of the ADF. Today in Malika, more than 38,000 farmers have resumed their agro-pastoral activities.”

The Minister was accompanied by Leon Richard Kasonga, a General and the  spokesperson of the Congolese Armed Forces and the Military Governor of North Kivu, Lt.-General Constant Ndimi during a press conference in Goma on Tuesday.

Lt.-General Ndima revealed that in Mayangose which has the most fertile soil in Goma and the town of Beni, more than 36,000 farmers who were displaced because of the fighting have returned and have started cultivating new farms in areas where nobody could access before.

“Villages such as Mapobu, Halungupa, Mamove, Lahe, Mandina, Kididiwe, Kasinga, Totolito, Semuliki, Mbau, Kamango, Mamudyoma and Nobili have already been retaken by loyalist forces,” the Governor of North Kivu announced.

The provincial authorities say several chiefs of the Mai-Mai rebellion and their fighters are prepared to surrender in the territory of Lubero and are just waiting for the concretisation of the disarmament, demobilisation, community reinsertion and security process.

Speaking of operations in the southern part of the province, the provincial chief executive indicated that the mopping-up of the Masisi territory was going on normally adding that several localities have been liberated by the national army and hundreds of members of armed groups have been surrendering.

“We are on the Masisi-Nyabiondo Centre highway and we would go right to Walikale. We call on the bandits who have been disturbing our peace in this corner to lay down their arms otherwise we would track them down right to their last hideout,” the Governor said. 

“Very soon we are also going to launch operations for the clean-up of Walikale as well as the Virunga National Park which we have already put in our plans. The mopping-up would also soon begin at the foot of Nyiragongo right up to Ishasha and we are going to capture the Ishasha highway right up to the banks of Lake Edward.”

“The national army is more than ever before, determined this time around to eliminate all these armed groups whether they be national or foreign in order to bring peace to the children of North Kivu.”

Lt.-General Constant Ndima officially took up duties on May 10, 2021 in Goma. He replaced the civilian governor, Carly Kasivita following the state of siege decreed by President Felix Tshisekedi on May 6, 2021 with a view to bringing peace to this part of the country through the institution of military and police authorities.