Uganda Deploys 1000 More Troops To Congo

The recent surge in violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has resulted in the eastern city of Goma falling under the control of Rwanda- and Uganda-backed M23 rebels. This Western-backed, three-decade-long conflict over natural resources has forced hundreds of thousands of Congolese to flee Goma, with at least 900 lives lost within a week since its capture.

Reports say Uganda has dispatched over 1,000 additional troops to eastern Congo, bringing the total number of Ugandan soldiers in the region to as much as 5,000. However, Uganda’s involvement raises serious questions. The UN and others have accused Kampala of supporting and sheltering militias while simultaneously vying for control over Congo’s resources with Rwanda. Despite mounting evidence of its complicity, Uganda has refuted claims of directly financing or harbouring M23 rebels.

Uganda’s ambiguous stance casts a shadow over its intentions in Congo, especially given its history of destabilising the region.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-sends-1000-more-soldiers-east-congo-near-conflict-sources-say-2025-02-04/?taid=67a286eb4fe82f0001021a57&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/17/uganda-to-withdraw-soldiers-fighting-adf-in-dr-congo-this-month

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/12/uganda-pays-first-installment-of-325m-war-reparations-to-drc