By 6 hours 48 minutes ago At least 700 guerillas from Angola are involved in fresh plans with DRC army strategists to secure Goma from a possible recapture by the revolutionary M23 forces, intelligence sources have told Chimpreports.
The dreaded Angolan combatants who sneaked into Minova towards Christmas have on several occasions been seen in company of François Olenga, the DRC Chief of Staff, Land Forces.
Sources say the secret entrance of Angola firepower could twist the tide of war and jeopardize peace talks between the rebels and DRC being held in Kampala.
Since Friday night, M23 sources say, some militants have been bombing Kibumba but no fatalities have so far been recorded.
“We know what the DRC and Angola forces are up to. They have been deploying FDLR at all frontlines to provoke us into war so that their allied forces can move into our positions in Bunagana but we are ready for them,” said a source in M23.
The Angola Forces, intelligence sources say, should expect “heavy casualty” figures considering they had never fought in the areas of Bunagana, Sake or Goma and therefore have no experience or knowledge of the terrain, not to mention the language barrier.
Under an international-community-brokered peace treaty which temporarily ended the civil war in 2003, all outside armies including Angola and Zimbabwe withdrew from DRC.
But the Angola forces were later deployed in 2008 to fight the CNDP (which later metamorphosed into M23) till 2009 when the rebels under the command of Laurent Nkunda gave truce a chance.
Before his death, Joseph Kabila’s father, Laurent, had in 2003 sought Angola support to block an advance of rebels who intended to topple his government.
Last year, President Yoweri Museveni flew to Angola’s Capital, Luanda where he met his counterpart Eduardo Do Santos, urging him not to deploy in Congo. Museveni promised the Congo conflict needed a political, not a military solution.
DRC WANT WAR
The rebel outfit’s political leader, Jean-Marie Runiga on Thursday told press at Gorilla Hotel in Bunagana that “the position of the Government in Kinshasa is clearly to continue with war.”
President Kabila, in his last speech to the nation, stated his willingness to explore the military option after the Government spokesman referred to the dialogue in Kampala as a distraction.
In a televised national address in December last year, Kabila accused Rwanda of “leading a war on Congo.”
“We must be ready to defend our country all the way to the ultimate sacrifice,” said Kabila, adding, Rwanda had taken it upon itself to command M23 operations against his elected government.
Runiga said the position of the Kinshasa government with regard to the negotiations in Kampala is to treat negotiations as a diversion as they prepare for war.
According to intelligence, Zimbabwe and Congo Brazzaville have as well been exploring possibilities of assisting DRC forces.
“That is the information we have,” a contact in DRC told this reporter.
Chimp Corps who recently visited Bunagana say M23 have amassed lots of military hardware in containers, including anti aircraft gunships which are strategically located in the surrounding hills.
Hundreds of youth are also being trained to replenish the M23 ranks.
Runiga said if DRC does not sign the ceasefire, they would pull out of talks and launch attacks to “fully liberate the entire country.”
It’s this fear that DRC is playing monkey tricks and exploiting peace talks to carry out reinforcements that has encouraged M23 to pile up arms and mobilize the media in preparation for war.
Runiga further stated M23 was observing reinforcements on the frontlines in form of military equipment and a coalition between FARDC and FDLR and other Nyatura Mai Mai who have been deployed and are now ready to fight.
The reinforcement with FDLR and one battalion from Colonel Janvier's Mai Mai who are in civilian attire are reportedly involved directly in committing crimes and atrocities against the population in Goma.
Other militias are deployed in the villages of Mubambiro and Sake, Kiroche, Ishasha and Minova.3
Runiga expressed shock on Thursday that military helicopters of the government continue to fly over M23 held territory during the night which “constitutes an act of provocation against our forces.”
According to the report by MONUSCO Ref No: CLA-MP-94/12-12 of December 17, arms and ammunition to over 4,000 FDLR combatants had been supplied who were positioned in KAZIBAKE in the territory of Bashali Mokoto, in the locality of Lukweti / Nduro.
“By signing a cease fire agreement we want to ensure the end of war and remove the military option from the Kinshasa government. This is the reason why on our arrival in Kampala we will present on the negotiating table a draft agreement of cease-fire. To demand for a cease fire should not be mistaken for a sign of weakness but a political act that will enable both parties to search for solutions to the problems through peaceful means,” said Runiga.
Back in DRC, Kabila two weeks ago called for “stepped up recruitment of soldiers” to build a “professional army which would be the country’s fortification.”
“As we work towards uniting our country, efforts aimed at reinforcing our army’s capacity will be accelerated,” said the President.
“Defence must be our top priority. That’s the only solution for the current upheavals,” said Kabila.
The fighting in the volatile country has left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
Regional leaders under ICGLR are working hard to ensure the rebels and DRC find a peaceful, long lasting and homegrown solution to their differences.Edouard