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DRC-Uganda-Rwanda: Like Ugandan Defense Forces, Rwandan Government Sending troops into Eastern DRC, Complicating Military Operations Against ADF.

Rwandan Defense Forces in DRC - 2012

On November 30, 2021 Uganda Defense Forces (UDF) launched attacks in Beni, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and carried out airstrikes against Allied Defence Forces (ADF) positions, in a joint operation with the DRC armed forces (FARDC). UDF then deployed its troops in various areas in Eastern DRC. The deployment of Ugandan forces followed terrorist attacks on Tuesday, 16th November 2021, in Kampala, Uganda. Meanwhile, according to AfroAmerica Network sources close to both UDF and Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF), the joint operations are facing an unexpected serious hurdle: RDF has started to stealthily deploy troops into Eastern DRC, secretly sending small platoons of special forces into North-Kivu territories and towns. According to the sources, there is a risk of seeing a repeat of the Kisangani bloody incidents of 1999-2000 bbetween UDF and RDF, in which tens of thousands of innocent civilians were massacred.

Military Operations Planned in Eastern DRC Following Terrorist Attacks in Kampala, Uganda.

In 1999 and 2000, Ugandan and Rwandan defence forces invaded the DRC, each supporting a different faction of the Congolese rebels of the RCD, seeking to overthrow Laurent Kabila, the president at the time. Then, in the Congolese city of Kisangani, Rwandan RDF troops fought against and almost decimated UDF troops, by May 2000. Tens of thousands of innocent Congolese civilians and Rwandan refugees were massacred. Both the UDF and RDF were accused of plundering the DR Congo's vast natural resources, including minerals, coffee, timber and livestock and of widespread human rights abuses and war crimes.

On Tuesday, 16th November 2021, in Kampala, Uganda, three suicide bombers attacked the parliament and military bases, killed three people and injured 33 people, mostly civilians. Ugandan government accused the "Allied Democratic Front" (ADF), an Islamist opposition group, based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, that has been fighting, among many, against the government of the Ugandan dictator Yoweri Museveni, of being behind the attacks. The actions by ADF have been qualified as terrorism, and ADF group has been labelled a terrorist group by international organizations and some countries.

Meanwhile, within the UPDF structure and in other sources, there were serious troubling allegations regarding the links between the current Rwandan Defense Forces and ADF (see here: World-Africa: Africa At Center Stage, First US Black Woman President, US Sanctions Terminated for Burundi, Civil War in Ethiopia, Terrorism in Uganda and Rwanda, and Kleptocrats in DRC). Hence, when the allegations became public, Rwandan government started to plan for an immediate action to make sure they are not singled out and are not targeted, after operations against ADF.

After the terrorists attacks in Uganda, leaders of Uganda Defense Forces (UDF) and Congolese Government forces (FARDC) and defense ministers of the two countries met in Bunia in Ituri province to align on how to better work in "harmonizing military operations in the framework of pooling forces." United Nations Peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO), that has been operating in DRC for more than 20 years, was left out.

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Rwandan Government: A Consistent Threat to Military and Peace Operations in Eastern DRC.

It is not the first time that Rwandan government presents a hurdle in military operations planned in DRC against militias and rebel groups. In 2019, military operations were planned in Eastern DRC against militias and foreign rebels troops. After a meetings was held in Goma on September 13 and 14, 2019 the military leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi agreed to conduct military operations in Eastern DRC over the months of November - December 2019 (see AfroAmerica Network: Military Operations Planned in Eastern DRC: RUD-Urunana and RPR 2008 Kisangani Roadmap Foils the Agreement). The meeting planned in Goma on October 24 and 25, 2019 was to finalize the operations plan. The meeting was going as planned, until two documents were distributed to the meeting participants.

The documents, known as the Kisangani Roadmap ( as shown here, Conclusions des Travaux de la Commission Technique de la Conference de Kisangani and here Kisangani Process: Feuille de Route Sur Le Desarmement RUD et RPR), were the result of intense negotiations held in Rome between the DRC Government and the Rwandan political organization group, National Democratic Congress, which includes the Rally for Unity and Democracy (RUD-Urunana) and Rally of the Rwandan People (RPR - Inkeragutabara).

This time appears different. According to AfroAmerica Network sources close to the RDF, the Rwandan Government, better prepared, plans to use more elaborate schemes. First, in media outlets close to the Rwandan government and military intelligence, it was reported that Rwandan rebels based in the DRC are planning to launch attacks into Rwanda, allegedly based on recent meetings of commanders of these rebels, especially the FDLR-FOCA, that Rwandan military intelligence informants attended.

Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) Slowly deploying special forces platoons into Eastern DRC territories and towns.

According to sources close to UDF and UPDF, small squads of Rwandan special forces have started to enter the Eastern DRC. Initially, they will conduct raids across the Rwandan border from RDC. The attacks will be blamed on FDLR-FOCA and RUD-Urunana and RPR-Inkeragutabara. Then, a large number of forces will cross the border from Rwanda, claiming to retaliate and pursue the attackers based on DRC. The initial focus will be in the Rutshuru territory, especially in Rumangabo, Masisi, Bunagana, and Nyamilima. The next phase is to go further north into Lubero territory, especially Kanyabayonga, Lubero and Butembo and then cross into Beni territory.

The sources added that, once the deployed platoons reach Lubero and Beni territories, the Rwandan Defense Forces plan to attack the Ugandan Defense Forces and blame the ADF for the attacks.

AfroAmerica Network will continue to follow and update as the details come.

news MONUSCO Magazine RUD FDLR FARDC Yoweri Museveni ADF RDF Urunana

Africa - Investment: Rwandan Ruling Party Connected Companies Funding African Struggling Economies while Rwandan Economy Sinks.

Donald Kaberuka with Paul Kagame as Advisor in 2015

Economies in some once prosperous countries in Africa are struggling. Some of these countries have been ruled by authoritarian regimes which, after decades of brutal repression, mismanagement and lack of vision, appear to have run out of options. The leaders of these countries can no longer hide the troubling trends of their economies. Traditional international organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the USAID, and others have moved or started to move away. Now, the leaders of these countries, desperate, are turning to unusual sources of funding. Among these unusual fundings are two related companies, owned or managed by the leaders of one of the poorest countries in Africa: Rwanda. Meanwhile, the Rwandan economy is in shambles, with the debt to Gross Domestic Product(GDP) ratio of more than 75% as of 2021 and growing.

Democratic Republic of Congo Obiang Nguema Panama Papers Kleptocracy Congo Paul Kagame Denis Sassou-Nguesso SouthBridge Crystal Ventures

Sudan: Military Coup Threatens the Prospects of Democracy in Sudan

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, military leader, Sudan, in October 25, 2021

After two years of hope following the overthrow of the last Sudanese bloody dictator Omar-al-Bashir, Sudan's military junta seized power in a coup on Monday, October 24, 2021. The military junta dissolved a transitional government that had been set up to manage the transition towards democracy. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council set up under the transition to share power among the military and civilians, led the coup.

Africa Democracy Algeria Sudan

Africa: African Dictators of 2021; 3 Down, More to Go

Alaa Salah, Kandaka or Nubian Queen, leading protests in Sudan, in April 2019

This year some African dictators were deposed or killed. Those deposed include Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Guinean President Alpha Condé. Chadian President Idriss Déby was killed. Meanwhile, many African dictators remain in power, including some already featured among AfroAmerica Network African ruthless dictators of 2018 (see AfroAmerica Network African Dictators Who Mattered In 2018: Congolese Joseph Kabila, Rwandan Paul Kagame, Ugandan Yoweri Museveni of Dec 27, 2018). New dictators are also joining the ranks.

Africa Democracy Algeria Sudan

DRC - Francophonie: The IXth Francophonie Games Planned in Kinshasa To Be Cancelled?

RDC: Fortunat Bisele and General Paul Kagame in Kigali, 2020

The IX Francophonie Games were planned in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between August 19-28, 2022. According to sources within the Francophonie, the games will be cancelled. The official communication to cancel or maintain the games will be published on July 7, 2021. The stated reasons would be a coverup of the real reasons behind the cancellation. The cancellation aligns with the previous reports based on similar sources that indicated that the games may not happen in Kinshasa in August 2022 and would rather be moved to Kigali, Rwanda (see here). The sources had then cited widespread corruption within the leadership appointed by DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to prepare the games. They point to a close adviser to Felix Tshisekedi and an agent of the Rwandan Government as being behind the chaos. Hence, the motives for the cancellation will allegedly just be a cover-up for the corruption, the intended chaos, and manipulation.

Democratic Republic of Congo Rwanda Joseph Kabila Jean-Pierre Bemba Louise Mushikiwabo Francophonie

DRC-Rwanda: Congo President Felix Tshisekedi Declares Himself Ignorant of the Crimes Documented in UN Mapping Report Rejected by Rwandan Paul Kagame

Congo President Felix Tshisekedi visits a memorial of civil war victims in Rwanda in March 2019

On May 18, 2021, on the sidelines of an African economic summit organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, talking to French media, rejected the 2010 UN Mapping Report. The report reports documents the systematic massacres and acts of genocide commited in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the Rwandan army and its created, armed and funded militias. Paul Kagame's statements received worldwide condemnations and indignations. Congolese leaders were initially silent. Following massive popular and media pressure, DRC President Felix Tshiskedi reacted with brief, but even more controversial, statements. His statements have created indignations, condamnations and great dismay in DRC and around the World. Following his statetments, activists, journalists, politicians, and others, on social media and other channels, have been wondering how a country like the DRC can have such an apparently "incompetent", "ignorant", and "opportunist" leader.

Africa Democratic Republic of Congo Rwanda Paul Kagame Emmanuel Macron Felix Tshisekedi UN Mapping Report

Rwanda: CommonWealth Cancels the Summit Planned in Kigali, Rwanda In June 2021

General Paul Kagame's Speech Attacking BBC in December 2014 over Human Rights Abuses Reports

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, has cancelled the CommonWealth summit that was planned in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2021. The decision was communicated in a Circular Letter dated on May 7, 2021, a copy of which was obtained by AfroAmerica Network. The official reasons of the cancellation are the prevailing risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CommonWealth Secretary-General refers to assessments by health institutions, including the World Health Organization.