Yesterday, Tuesday the coalition of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo launched an attack on the Twirwaneho and M23 groups in Rugezi, but it did not go well as they lost many things including equipment.
Rugezi is a region located in the southwestern part of the Minembwe commune in South Kivu.
The Twirwaneho and M23 groups have taken control of this area in the past three weeks after clashing with the coalition of government forces in a two-day battle that ended with these two groups, part of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), taking full control.
Since Rugezi was captured by these two groups belonging to the AFC, this coalition of Congolese forces has continued to launch attacks, which Twirwaneho and M23 have repelled.
In this context, yesterday, Tuesday, the coalition launched another attack, but reports from those areas indicate that it did not succeed for the coalition of Congolese forces that launched it.
This is as they were equipped with military gear, including heavy and light weapons, as the reports indicate that they were equipped with more than one machine gun and other smaller weapons of the AK-47 type as well as others of different types.
It is true that this Twirwaneho group and the M23 have been heavily armed, and that the government side has lost many of its soldiers, as these reports continue to state.
A witness said: “Yes, there was fighting in Rugezi yesterday, Tuesday. But the government side lost many of its soldiers and a lot of military equipment.”
This information also indicates that the fighting that took place yesterday, Tuesday, in Rugezi was intense, although it did not last long.
He said: “The fighting in Rugezi yesterday, Tuesday, was very intense, but it did not last long.”
The government forces launched this attack coming from the forests of Lulenge in the Fizi territory.
The government side is made up of FARDC troops, Burundian forces and armed groups such as Wazalendo and FDLR. Additionally, it also includes Imbonerakure from Burundi.
These attacks carried out by the government side aim to reclaim areas lost in the Mulenge mountains, known as the homeland of the Banyamulenge.
Although these areas continue to be attacked, this does not prevent the Twirwaneho and M23 groups from bringing positive changes in the controlled regions of these Mulenge mountains. Mainly, the residents living there enjoy peace and stability, and they continue to build roads and other infrastructure projects.
