The Ugandan army has deployed troops to Mahagi town in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to combat local armed groups, amid fears of a wider war.
The deployment was requested by the Congolese army after alleged massacres of civilians by the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) militia.
Uganda’s defense and military affairs spokesperson, Felix Kulayigye, confirmed that Ugandan troops have entered Mahagi town and are in control.
The town is located in Ituri province, which borders Uganda and has seen significant violence, including the killing of at least 51 people on February 10 by armed men affiliated with CODECO.
CODECO claims to defend the interests of the Lendu community, mainly composed of farmers, against the Hema community, who are mainly herders.
Uganda already has thousands of troops in other parts of Ituri under an agreement with the Congolese government.
Analysts fear that Uganda and Rwanda’s growing presence in eastern DRC could lead to a repeat of the Second Congo War, which lasted from 1998 to 2003 and resulted in millions of deaths.
