Fear of return of M23 rebels now fuels tensions in eastern DRC
Members of the M23 rebel group sit at the Rwamwanja refugee settlement, Uganda on December 17, 2014. PHOTO | ISAAC KASAMANI | AFP
The reported re-emergence of M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo could present a security problem for President Joseph Kabila, who is currently facing political resistance. There are fears that the rebel insurgents could unleash chaos in the already fragile east of the country.
When Kinshasa initially raised the red flag saying that a group of M23 rebels had crossed over from Uganda and captured a village in the eastern region, the Ugandan government denied the claims. But on Thursday, Kampala confirmed that 40 members of the rebel group interned in a military base in western Uganda had escaped from the camp, while more than 100 were arrested as they tried to cross over to the DRC. Conflicting reports indicate that a bigger number could have escaped from the Bihanga Army Barracks.
