Uganda has sent over 1,000 additional soldiers into eastern Congo near the conflict zone where the Congolese government is battling M23 rebels, raising concerns of regional escalation, according to diplomatic and U.N. sources.
Residents in the region reported seeing Ugandan troops moving toward the front lines. The Rwandan-backed M23 recently seized the regional capital Goma in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a region with a history of devastating conflicts in 1996-1997 and 1998-2003, which led to millions of deaths, mostly due to hunger and disease.
The new Ugandan deployment, positioned north of Goma, is estimated to bring the total number of Ugandan troops in the region to between 4,000 and 5,000. Officially, Uganda has been aiding Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi’s forces against the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) under Operation Shujaa since 2021. However, U.N. experts suggest Uganda has also supported the M23, an ethnic Tutsi-led group backed by Rwanda.
Residents in Butembo reported sightings of Ugandan military convoys heading south toward the M23 battlefront. Ugandan army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye denied a large-scale new deployment, stating that Ugandan forces had merely shifted their strategy to “offensive defense.”
Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya refrained from confirming the arrival of additional Ugandan troops but emphasized that Uganda’s primary role in the region was to fight the ADF, though engagements with M23 and Rwandan troops remained a possibility.
Uganda’s Strategic Interests
Uganda has previously denied U.N. allegations of training M23 fighters or providing logistical support, while Corneille Nangaa, head of the Alliance Fleuve Congo—an umbrella group that includes M23—claimed Uganda neither supported nor opposed the rebels.
Meanwhile, M23 has solidified its control over much of North Kivu province, advancing toward Bukavu, 200 km (125 miles) south of Goma. Although M23 initially faced resistance from Congolese and Burundian forces, the group recently stated it had no intention of seizing the city.
Both Uganda and Rwanda have historically intervened in eastern Congo under the pretext of securing their borders but have faced accusations of exploiting the region’s vast natural resources, particularly gold. According to Zobel Behalal of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, eastern Congo is critical to Uganda’s economy, and Kampala is likely maneuvering to protect its interests.
Adding to speculation over Uganda’s stance, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the influential son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and head of the military, has publicly voiced support for Rwandan President Paul Kagame and referred to M23 as “brothers of ours” fighting for the rights of Tutsis in Congo.
As Uganda intensifies its military presence in eastern Congo, the region remains on edge, with fears of a broader conflict involving multiple nations.
The deployment of over 1,000 additional Ugandan soldiers to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) occurred in early February 2025. This move aimed to support Congolese forces combating the M23 rebels in the region.
Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/uganda-sends-1000-more-soldiers-east-congo-near-conflict-sources-say-2025-02-04/