Synopsis
The Ugandan military plans to augment peacekeeping forces in Somalia after Burundian troops' withdrawal. In parallel, fighting escalates in the DRC, particularly in Goma, with protests rising in Kinshasa against the violence. Calls for peace talks are intensifying on various platforms.Key Takeaways
- Uganda to increase peacekeeping troops in Somalia.
- Burundian forces have exited AUSSOM.
- Ongoing conflict between M23 rebels and DRC army in Goma.
- Civil protests erupt in Kinshasa against violence.
- International community faces pressure for action.
Kampala, January 29 (NationPress) The Ugandan military has announced plans to deploy additional peacekeeping forces to Somalia following the departure of Burundian troops who were part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Felix Kulayigye, the spokesperson for Uganda's military, communicated to Xinhua news agency via phone on Tuesday, indicating that Uganda has inherited another territory that was previously managed by Burundian peacekeepers.
"It is essential that we increase our troop numbers since our current forces cannot adequately oversee both sectors," Kulayigye remarked, adding that the reinforcements will be dispatched to the Horn of Africa once the necessary documentation is completed by the deploying authority, AUSSOM.
Since 2007, Uganda has been actively sending peacekeeping troops to Somalia.
Before January, Burundi was among the nations contributing troops to the African Union peacekeeping mission combating militants in Somalia. Other contributing nations include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
In a related development, tensions have escalated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where clashes between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and the DRC army persist in the eastern city of Goma, amid rising civilian protests in the capital, Kinshasa.
Fighting resumed on Tuesday morning in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province and a significant regional center, following a relatively peaceful night. Efforts to mediate and restore peace remain in limbo on various regional and international platforms.
Local sources reported to Xinhua that fierce fighting has been underway since early Tuesday near the airport, a crucial site that had previously been captured by the rebels.
In Kinshasa, the city was engulfed in chaos as civil society organizations rallied the local populace to protest against the violence in Goma and the lack of action from the international community.
Protesters surged through the city's main roads, hindering traffic, obstructing commercial operations, igniting tires, and chanting in front of foreign embassies and the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission.
