GOMA/DRC-Rwanda has finally signed covert deal with Central African rebel group to target Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The rebel group in question has been identified as Union for Peace Movement also known as l’Union pour la Paix en Centrafrique – UPC).
Union for Peace (UPC) has been contacted by Kigali alongside NAS rebel group from south Sudan under the command of Thomas Cirillo Swaka.
According to a source within Rwandan intelligence services, the rebels will be facilitated by Rwanda to destabilize Haut-Uélé, Bas-Uélé and Ituri provinces on DR Congo.
Union for Peace rebel movement came into existence in 2014 after African Union and French forces pushed the Seleka out of Central African capital Bangui and by the end of the year, the Seleka had split into several factions, each controlling its own area.
The UPC is a splinter group of the Popular Front for Redress (Front populaire pour le redressement, FPR), a Chadian rebel group mainly consisting of Chadian and Central African Peuhl and commanded by Chadian Babba Laddé.
The group’s second in command, Ali Darassa Mahamant, joined the Seleka and officially created the UPC in September 2014.
He is its president and commander. FPRC and MPC fighters have killed civilians in past attacks, including in October 2016, when they razed a camp for displaced people in Kaga-Bandoro, killing at least 37 civilians and wounding 57.
It should be remembered that Rwanda maintains over 900 troops in Central African Republic and these include an infantry battalion, a mechanized company .
Rwandan army has been accused of financing rebel groups to fight in the DR Congo’s Eastern region.
This year alone, Rwandan special forces were reported fighting alongside Mai Mai rebels and Burundian Red Tabara rebels against the Banyamulenge communities in the areas of Minembwe whom Rwandan government claim they are sympathizers of Rwandan dissident Gen Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa which dismisses as baseless.
The joint force of Rwandan forces and Congolese rebels has been accused of using scorched earth policy against the Banyamulenge where villages and food stores have been burnt down.
Against this background, heavy gun shelling was heard Saturday night in Jomba in Rutshuru territory in the DR Congo.
Residents told this website that fight was between DRC soldiers and Rwandese soldiers who had infiltrated DRC territory.
Of recent, there have been movements of Rwandese in the area suspected to be Rwandan security agents who have been forming bases in the area.
Another source within Rwandan security circles say Kigali is also approaching cattle rustlers Toposa from South Sudan and Turkana and Pokot from Kenya to destabilize Karamoja in Northern Uganda.
“In case of war against Uganda, they will serve as substitutes”. Source says
Rwanda has been accused of arming and training both Ugandan and Burundian rebels fighting Bujumbura and Kampala.
Kigali is accused of arming the Red Tabara rebels from Burundi and issuing travel documents to its top commanders.
Efforts to reach Rwandan army for a comment were futile by press time.
Source: https://command1post.com