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Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo Militia Leader Lumbala to Appear In French Court

Cape Town — Roger Lumbala, 65, a former DR Congo militia leader, will stand trial in France on charges of crimes against humanity. On Monday, November 6, 2023 an investigating judge reportedly ordered Lumbala’s trial. He has been detained in France since his arrest at the end of 2020, RFI and AFP reports. Lumbala is […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: Fighting Cuts Power Supply to DR Congo’s Goma

Harare — Due to a surge in rebel warfare in the area, the major power lines to the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have been severed, cutting off power to hospitals and water systems, Reuters reports. Goma is home to nearly two million people and serves as the seat […]

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Rwanda: Kagame, UN Chief Discuss Escalation of Violence in Eastern DR Congo

President Paul Kagame, on November 7, 2023, had a productive phone conversation with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the worrying escalation of armed violence and ethnic rhetoric in eastern DR Congo, the office of the president announced. According to a brief notice posted by the Presidency on X, formerly Twitter, President Kagame reiterated his view […]

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Southern Africa: SADC Call for DRC Peace On Point

One of the biggest reasons Africa remains the poorest region on earth is the disunity that exists among its people. Apart from that, there are so many conflicts sprinkled across the continent with not less than four African countries featuring in the top 10 most dangerous places in the world. Such statistics are not good […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: Canadian Startup Wins DR Congo Methane Rights Despite Failing Criteria – Report

Cape Town — Alfajiri Energy Corporation, a Canada-based start-up operated from a private home, was selected by the Democratic Republic of Congo government to extract methane from the country’s notorius “killer” Lake Kivu despite failing to meet the minimum financial requirements, Reuters wrote in an e xclusive report . Sonia Rolley reported that the selection of  […]

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Africa: Will Mali Cope Without UN Peacekeepers?

Cape Town — Peacekeeping operations have played a crucial role in stabilising fragile situations across Africa for more than 60 years. United Nations (UN)-led missions in Africa and about 27 African-led peace support operations since 2000 incurred billions of dollars annually and cost thousands of peacekeepers’ lives. Now Somalia, Mali and the DR Congo face significant […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: Crisis Group Warns of Threats to Credible Election in DR Congo

Cape Town — The Democratic Republic of Congo risks descending into violence and a national crisis as the country heads for elections in December, says a new report. The International Crisis Group (ICG) warns that if violence and a badly-run election exclude many citizens from voting, the result would be “a huge setback for the […]

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Kenya: EACRF to Probe Mortar Attack From DR Congo-Held Position That Killed Kenyan Peacekeeper

Nairobi — The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) has launched probe into attack from a Congolese army position that killed a Kenyan peacekeeper. The deceased who has since been airlifted back to Kenya was stationed at Kanyamahoro, near Kibumba, 15Km North East of Goma. EACRF said in a statement that the incident happened following […]

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Kenya: Mortar That Killed Kenyan Peacekeeper Came From DR Congo Position – Source

Nairobi — A highly placed source within the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) has refuted claims that Rwanda planned the mortar attack that killed a Kenyan peacekeeper. The Tuesday incident occurred at Kibumba in the Eastern DRC following an ambush by suspected rebels. He termed claims by the Congolese military as ‘fictitious’ and insisted […]

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Kenya: DR Congo Blames Rwanda for M23 Mortar Attacks That Killed an EAC Peacekeeper

Nairobi — The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has blamed Rwanda for the death of an East African Community (EAC) peacekeeper after M23 rebels fired mortars at positions held by the Regional Force. The Tuesday incident occurred Kibumba in the Eastern DRC following an ambush by suspected rebels. The attack came even as the Armed […]

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Central Africa: Bishops of the Great Lakes Region Call for an End to Violence in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Kinshasa — “Everything must be done to put an end to the suffering of the people of the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)”, say the members of the Association of Bishops’ Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC) in a “fraternal appeal” to those responsible in the Great Lakes region. The Catholic bishops of […]

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East Africa: EAC Concerned Over Deteriorating Security Situation in North Kivu

THE East African Community (EAC) has expressed its deep concern by the increasing hostilities perpetrated by armed groups in the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) Joint Operations Area in North Kivu in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to a statement issued recently by the EAC Secretary General Dr Peter Mathuki, these hostilities […]

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Uganda: ADF Rebels Fleeing DRC Back to Uganda, Says Museveni

President Museveni has said because of heavy bombardment and other operations by the joint UPDF and FARDC forces inside DRC, ADF fighters have started fleeing from their hideouts and running back to Uganda. Museveni said on Saturday, UPDF fighter bombers again hit four ADF points at 72kms, 120kms, 69kms and 130kms from the border on […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: SANDF Recalls Eight Soldiers From UN Peacekeeping Duty in DRC to Answer Sex Abuse Charges

Eight soldiers arrested in DRC have returned to South Africa to answer to ‘sexual abuse and exploitation’ allegations. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has recalled eight of its soldiers who were detained this month by the United Nations in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for “sexual abuse and exploitation”. The SANDF said […]

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Africa: Afcon (Côte d’Ivoire-2023) – Morocco in Group F With DR Congo, Zambia and Tanzania

Abidjan — Morocco’s football team has been drawn in Group F alongside its counterparts DR Congo, Zambia and Tanzania, following the draw for the group phase of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), held on Thursday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The Atlas Lions will play their group-stage matches in the town of San Pedro. Their […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: Fighting Continues After Two-Day Calm

Hostilities between DR Congo’s armed forces (FARDC) and the M32 rebel group continued on Wednesday, October 4 after two days of uneasy calm, which followed renewed fighting on Sunday in North Kivu province in the country’s east. M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the FARDC attacked the villages of Tebero, Katovu, Rugeneshi, Kilolirwe, Burungu and their […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: Nobel Laureate Mukwege Announces DR Congo Presidential Bid

Harare — Denis Mukwege, the gynaecologist and Nobel laureate who has won renown for campaigning against gender-based violence, declared on Monday that he would run for president in elections scheduled for December, news agencies report. Agence France-Presse reports that Mukwege explained his bid by declaring that “Our country is doing badly… We cannot wait to […]

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Rwanda: Fighting Resumes in Eastern DR Congo

Fighting erupted on Sunday, October 1, in eastern DR Congo’s North Kivu province pitting the country’s armed forces (FARDC) and the M23 rebel group. In statements, the two parties which held a fragile ceasefire since November 2022, accused each other of starting the fire exchange on Sunday afternoon in Kilolirwe and other areas in Masisi […]