FARDC Soldiers Begin Jungle Warfare Training led MONUSCO
FARDC soldiers have started a 45-day jungle warfare and international humanitarian law training program in Beni, North Kivu
Eighty soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) have begun a 45-day specialized military training program in Beni, North Kivu, aimed at enhancing their effectiveness in countering the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) insurgency while reinforcing compliance with international humanitarian law.
The training officially commenced on Monday, July 20, and is being conducted by Brazilian military instructors serving with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
According to military officials, the program combines intensive jungle warfare exercises with classroom instruction focused on the laws of armed conflict and the protection of civilians during military operations.
The trainees are members of FARDC's 1303rd Battalion, a unit deployed in the Grand Nord region, where government forces continue to battle ADF fighters, particularly along the strategic Beni–Butembo–Lubero corridor.
Military authorities said the objective of the training is to improve operational effectiveness while ensuring that troops respect international humanitarian standards during combat operations.
The curriculum includes field exercises designed to prepare soldiers for combat in dense forest environments, reflecting the terrain in which the ADF has maintained a long-standing presence. The armed group is known for using the forests of Beni and Lubero as bases for planning and launching attacks against both security forces and civilians.
