Nearly 100 police officers from the Democratic Republic of Congo fled to neighboring Uganda over the weekend as fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese military in the country’s eastern regions intensified, a Ugandan military spokesperson reported on Monday.
The officers arrived via the Ishasha border crossing in Kanungu district, southwestern Uganda, said Major Kiconco Tabaro, a regional spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces. The 98 officers, armed with 43 guns and ammunition, were subsequently disarmed upon arrival.
“They were fleeing the escalating conflict involving M23 rebels, other militias, and the Congolese military. The situation is marked by extreme violence and widespread hunger,” Tabaro stated.
Over the past four days, at least 2,500 additional Congolese refugees have crossed into Uganda to escape the ongoing violence. Among the refugees are pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and young children, highlighting the severe humanitarian crisis.
The M23 has been waging a renewed insurgency in eastern Congo since 2022. A recent United Nations report alleged that the Ugandan army has supported the Tutsi-led rebel group, an accusation Uganda denies. The U.N. has also long accused Rwanda of backing the M23, a claim Rwanda has consistently refuted.
Congo’s military efforts to repel the rebels have intensified over the past year, utilizing drones and aircraft. Despite these efforts, the M23 has continued to expand its control, seizing significant territories. In June, the rebels captured the strategically important town of Kanyabayonga, a key gateway to other parts of North Kivu province.
The fighting in North Kivu has displaced more than 1.7 million people, contributing to a record total of 7.2 million Congolese displaced by multiple conflicts, according to U.N. estimates.
