There Are No Ugandan Troops In Congo Yet – Army
Military authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have said there are no Ugandan troops in Congolese territory yet.
Military authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have said there are no Ugandan troops in Congolese territory yet.
This is despite a tacit agreement by the two countries for the deployment of Ugandan forces in eastern DR Congo to help the DR Congo national army, FARDC, in fighting Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
Leon-Richard Kasonga, FARDC spokesperson, General accompanied by Pierrot Mwanamputu, Congolese national police spokesperson, and Patrick Muyaya, Communication and Media Minister made the revelation on Monday, Nov. 29, during a press conference.
They were answering a question concerning joint military operations by forces of the two countries against ADF rebels in eastern DR Congo.
“There are no Ugandan troops in DR Congo … regular and close contacts between the armed forces and intelligence services of the DR Congo and Uganda exist.
If things have to be stepped up in connection with the nature of threats, we would do so,” Patrick Muyaya, the DR Congo Minister of Communication and Media, declared during the press conference.
“Since 2017, we have carried out operations in Dungu against the Ugandan Lord Resistance Army (LRA). These joint operations with the Ugandan army permitted us to put an end to the activities of the LRA,” said General Leon-Richard Kasonga, adding that “if there are joint operations, we would come and tell you.”
The government spokesperson said joint operations between the DR Congo and Ugandan military were “an option because there is an international threat.”
“Concerning the concerns expressed by the Congolese civil society following reports of an agreement between President Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo and Yoweri Musoveni of Uganda for the deployment of Ugandan forces to the eastern DR Congo for joint military operations against the ADF following a recent attack on the Ugandan capital, Kampala, attributed to the ADF, Muyaya noted that “there is time for everything. It is true that we do not forget everything but relations between states evolve.”
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