DRC army evacuates heavy weapons from Uvira fearing M23 advance
As panic heightens within the Congolese army, FARDC, and allied forces in Uvira due to the increasing fear that the city could fall to AFC/M23 rebels if peace talks stall, FARDC is relocating heavy weaponry to Burundi, specifically to the Mudubugu Military Camp through the Kavimvira-Gatumba Border Post.
FARDC's paranoia is driven by Kinshasa’s experience during the fall of Goma, the major city in eastern DRC, in late January, when rebels seized a large collection of weaponry, including drones, anti-aircraft guns, mortars, tanks, armored vehicles, and a fighter jet, among others.
A defense attaché based in Burundi who preferred anonymity confided that this is a "strategic withdrawal" to avoid heavy loss in logistics, but it risks ceding Uvira to AFC/M23, allowing the rebels control over three key cities in eastern DRC after the fall of Goma and Bukavu.
Despite being large in numbers and heavily equipped, the Congolese army coalition, including the Rwandan genocidal militia kmown as FDLR, Burundian soldiers, European and American mercenaries, and the Wazalendo militia coalition, failed to push back AFC/M23.
This evacuation signals that the Congolese army coalition lacks the ambition and confidence in its operations. Apart from Goma, which experienced heavy losses on the side of the government coalition forces, the latter's deployment in Bukavu failed to prevent the city from falling to the rebels.
The rebels have publicly expressed that they will advance if peace talks do not succeed.
In a press conference that followed the capture of Goma, AFC/M23 coordinator Corneille Nangaa said the rebels intend to march to Kinshasa.
"We are Congolese. We will continue the march of liberation to Kinshasa. When they ask us to retreat, where do they want us to go? We are not going anywhere."
The AFC/M23 military commander, Maj. Gen. Sultani Makenga, also vowed to march to Kisangani and Kinshasa if President Felix Tshisekedi keeps denying their rights as Congolese.
As the Congolese army coalition pulls back its critical weapons from Uvira to Burundi, on-ground realities favor the rebels to capture Uvira and will expose the FARDC’s military incapacity.
Photo Reuters
