Kenya is sending the first group of peacekeepers from the region to the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo to battle M23 rebels.
This morning, President William Ruto will be in charge of a flag-off ceremony in Nairobi for a Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) unit that is joining forces with other countries in the region. As part of the East African Community (EAC) mission, Kenyan troops would assist the Congolese army in its efforts to end the violence in the region.
Early this year, the EAC reached an agreement on troop deployment to confront insurgents. Since September, Kenyan forces have been establishing logistical support systems in the Democratic Republic of Congo in preparation for the anticipated operations against the rebels.
The Kenyan contingent’s initial objective will be to assist in the recapture of the border city of Bunagana, which was captured by M23 rebels in June.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has also often said that Rwanda helps the terrorist group M23. Kigali has always refuted these charges.
