What happened M23 rebels?
The M23 revolt peaked in 2012 and 2013 when it captured large parts of North Kivu province in eastern DRC. The M23, one of the many armed rebel groups roaming eastern DR Congo, briefly seized Goma before being defeated and driven out of the country by Congolese troops backed by UN peacekeepers (MONUSCO).
Why are there rebels in DRC?
The origins of the current violence in the DRC are in the massive refugee crisis and spillover from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. After Hutu génocidaires fled to eastern DRC and formed armed groups, opposing Tutsi and other opportunistic rebel groups arose.
How many rebels are in Congo?
There are about 120 rebel groups operating in eastern DRC, but the ADF, with an estimated 1,500 fighters, is a particular threat.
Who funds M23 rebels?
On Monday, the Congolese army accused Rwanda of backing the M23, and claimed to have captured two of the country’s soldiers in the combat zone. Kigali strongly refuted any involvement, saying the men were captured more than a month ago and were not part of its army.
Is the DRC still at war?
The war officially ended in July 2003, when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power. Although a peace agreement was signed in 2002, violence has continued in many regions of the country, especially in the east.
Who defeated M23?
DR Congo army
Group ends 20-month campaign after army captures last hilltop strongholds, raising hopes of peace breakthrough.
Is there still war in DRC?
Although a peace agreement was signed in 2002, violence has continued in many regions of the country, especially in the east. Hostilities have continued since the ongoing Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency, and the Kivu and Ituri conflicts.
What does M23 want?
“The M23’s purpose is to defend the economic interests of the armed group’s members and allow them to carry on their economic predation. There is no ideology behind the movement,” said Marc-André Lagrange, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. However the M23 is not simply a movement of arrivistes.
Who are Congo’s M23?
The M23 armed group consists of soldiers who participated in a mutiny from the Congolese national army in April and May 2012. The group’s senior commanders have a well-known history of serious abuses against civilians.
What happened to the M23 in Rwanda?
On August 24, M23 fighters went to the homes of five traders in Rugari, attacked them with machetes and knives, and forced them to hand over money. As of early September, the M23 controlled three main supply routes through Rutshuru to Rwindi, Bunagana, and Goma, and was imposing heavy “taxes” on all vehicles passing through their territory.
What is happening with the M23?
The forced recruitment created a climate of fear, leading many young men and boys to flee to government-controlled areas or across the border to Uganda or Rwanda. On July 16 and 17, M23 fighters forcibly recruited at least 60 young men and boys from the Rugari and Kisigari areas.
How did Rwanda send 5 recruits to Congo to support M23?
In Rwerere, Rwanda, near the Kasizi village border crossing with Congo, Rwandan military authorities called local leaders to a meeting on June 27 and told them that each leader with responsibility for 10 houses (known as the nyumbakumi) should find five recruits to send to Congo to support the M23.