The Congolese troops (FARDC) and the peacekeepers of the UN Mission in DRC (Monusco) reportedly today (July 12) bombed bases of the M23 rebels who had in the past days crashed country’s troops forcing hundreds of them fleeing over to Uganda.
According to Agence France Press, three helicopters of the UN Mission in the DRC and two Congolese soldiers were seen over the area of Nkokwe Bukima, between 5 and 10 km east the road from Goma to Rutshuru.
The same source said that a colonel of mutineers claimed that the FARDC are shelling their positions, but that the Congolese soldiers did not know where the rebels were.
The FARDC has blocked the passage of all civilians at Rumangabo, a town about fifteen miles west of the bombed positions, the agency said French.
Early in the morning, the FARDC spokesperson, Col. Olivier Hamuli, accused the M23 rebels of intentionally bombing civilian populations in the outskirts of the town of Rugari, in Rutshuru.
Col. Hamuli said the bombing left one person dead and three wounded. He called this a barbaric criminal act.
Monusco said July 11 that specific areas had been established in Rutshuru territory in North Kivu to protect the civilian population against attacks from armed groups.
Monusco tanks and FARDC have been deployed in major cities of the province to prevent attacks of armed groups.
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