Nearly 100 police officers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sought refuge in neighboring Uganda over the weekend as the conflict between M23 rebels and the Congolese military escalated in the eastern part of the country. This was confirmed by Major Kiconco Tabaro, a regional spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, on Monday.
The officers crossed into Uganda via the Ishasha border in Kanungu district, southwestern Uganda, arriving with 43 guns and ammunition. They were promptly disarmed upon entry. “They were fleeing fighting by M23 and other militias and the Congo military. There’s a lot of violence there, and then there’s also hunger,” Tabaro explained.
In the past four days, approximately 2,500 additional Congolese refugees have also entered Uganda, escaping the escalating violence across the border. “The main push factor is the intensifying violence and insecurity,” Tabaro added, noting that among the refugees were pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and young children.
The M23 rebel group has been reigniting conflict in the militia-ridden eastern DRC since 2022. A recent United Nations report seen by Reuters alleged that the Ugandan army had provided support to the Tutsi-led rebel group, a claim that Uganda has denied. The U.N. has consistently accused Rwanda of backing the M23, which has frequently seized large swathes of the mineral-rich eastern Congo. Rwanda has denied these allegations.
Over the past year, Congo’s military has ramped up efforts to push back the rebels using drones and aircraft. Despite these efforts, the M23 has continued to expand the territory under its control. In June, the M23 captured the town of Kanyabayonga, a strategic location on high ground that serves as a crucial gateway to other parts of North Kivu province.
The ongoing conflict in North Kivu has displaced more than 1.7 million people, contributing to a record total of 7.2 million Congolese displaced by multiple conflicts, according to U.N. estimates.
