A Kenyan soldier, part of the East African Community Regional Forces (EACRF), lost his life in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during an altercation between the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and M24 rebels on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
The EACRF issued a statement on Wednesday, stating that the ceasefire agreement between FARDC and the M23 rebel group had been violated during the hostile clash. The incident occurred near Kibumba, approximately 15 kilometers north of Goma in eastern DRC, resulting in the fatal injury of the Kenyan peacekeeper. An investigation has been initiated to determine the circumstances of the incident.
In their statement, the EACRF called for a return to the ceasefire agreement and urged an end to hostilities between FARDC and the M23 armed group, reaffirming their commitment to protecting civilians as mandated.
The EACRF is a multinational force comprising troops from Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, and Burundi. Its deployment followed a directive from a heads of state meeting in July 2022, in response to the M23 rebels’ control of large portions of eastern DRC and the isolation it caused. The force’s primary objective was to restore peace in eastern DRC and ensure compliance with the ceasefire agreement.
The situation remains uncertain concerning the actions the EACRF will take following the loss of their peacekeeper.
The fighting between M23 rebels and pro-government armed groups in eastern DRC moved closer to Goma on Tuesday, with reports of gunfire exchanges within 20 kilometers of the city. The M23, having gained control over significant territory in North Kivu province since 2021, is one of several militias operating in the region, despite the presence of peacekeepers.
The conflict has escalated in the vicinity of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, home to over a million people, with M23 rebels and government-aligned armed groups violating a fragile truce. Witnesses have reported fighting in Kibumba, and both sides appear to be engaged in heavy weapons fire.
According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Rutshuru and Masisi territory, north of Goma, since October 1. The fighting, which also affects Nyiragongo territory closer to Goma, has claimed numerous lives in recent weeks.
The Kinshasa government, independent UN experts, and several Western nations, including the United States and France, have accused Rwanda of supporting the Tutsi-led M23, allegations that Rwanda denies.
On Monday, the government of the DRC reported what they termed “yet another incursion” by the Rwandan army into DRC territory, with around 50 civilians allegedly killed by M23 rebels. An M23 spokesman denied these claims on Tuesday.
An East African Community force has been deployed since the end of the previous year, but it has faced criticism from Kinshasa for its inability to quell the violence, much like the UN force in the DRC.
