A KDF soldier has been killed in the Kibumba Area, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following a mortar attack.
The officer is said to have fallen victim after the mortar directed at a fighting group landed on the KDF Forward Operating Base on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
KDF soldiers are among the militaries deployed by various countries under the East Africa Community Regional Force (EACRF) to restore law and order in DRC.
Reports indicate that the M23 rebel group was fighting with the Wazalendo Group using mortars when the tragedy struck.
The incident has been described as accidental in nature as the attack was not targeting the KDF operating base.
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“The soldier was injured from shrapnel resulting from the landing bomb. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the injuries,” KDF sources said.
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed the incident and blamed the Rwandan Army for the attack.
DRC said the Rwandan army is launching attacks in the region in the name of the M23 rebel.
“In view of the above, the FARDC denounces and condemns this barbaric and terrorist manner on the part of the Rwandan army operating under cover of the M23, which is now attacking the regional force that came to impose peace and stability on the Eastern DRC, on instructions from the Heads of State of the EAC,” read part of the statement.
Rwanda has, however, denied involvement in the rebel group.
This is the first death reported since the KDF soldiers were deployed in the region.
The tragedy comes at a time when fighting between the M23 rebels and militia coalition under the Wazalendo Patriots has been intensifying fighting in the North Kivu Province.
The fighting began after Bertrand Bisimwa, the M23 rebels’ President, accused Wazalendo and the government army of attacking them.
M23 rebels are domiciled in Bwiza, Masisi territory.
