MONUC and Democratic Republic of Congo armed forces are deployed with armoured near Goma 1407122

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Defense News - Democratic Republic of Congo
 
 
Saturday, July 14, 2012, 01:44 PM
 
MONUC and Democratic Republic of Congo armed forces are deployed with armoured near Goma.
The United Nations Mission for Stabilization of Congo (MONUC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) have since Tuesday, July 10, 2012, deployed armoured vehicles, some 25 km north of Goma which is the headquarters of North-Kivu province, a well placed source in the province has confirmed to the Chinese Press Agency Xinhua.
     
The United Nations Mission for Stabilization of Congo (MONUC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) have since Tuesday, July 10, 2012, deployed armoured vehicle , some 25 km north of Goma which is the headquarters of North-Kivu province, a well placed source in the province has confirmed to the Chinese Press Agency Xinhua.
Uruguayan United Nations peacekeepers stand in front of their armoured personnel carrier patrol in the city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on July 13, 2012.
     
MONUC and FARDC armoured vehicles were positioned in Kibumba locality which is situated 26 km north of Goma, a town which is located about 60 km from the areas that are under the control of the M23 rebels.

The UN today began several 'domination patrols' to reassure the local population of their presence and their intention to protect the city against any possible advance by M23 rebels.

"Instead of confronting them, they are just placing barriers a few kilometers from Goma. This is like welcoming the M23 rebels," lamented Muhimuzi, a resident of Goma town.

After having taken control of Rutshuru on July 8, the M23 rebels withdrew from the town on July 9. They promised not to advance towards Goma and urged the Congolese government to respect the peace agreement signed in March 2009.

"We are very disciplined and we do not have the ambition of going to Goma. We know what we are doing," said colonel Vianney Kazaram who is the spokesman for M23.

"On Thursday, two UN helicopters and two others from the FARDC left Goma airport at around mid-day to go and bombard Bukima and Nkokwe zones which are situated 48 km north of Goma," an airport source close to FARDC told Xinhua.

"No information has so far been released concerning the outcome of those bombardments against the M23 mutineers," the same source said.

At the moment, the M23 rebels are still occupying Bunagana which is an important town near the Ugandan border, situated at least 30 km south-east of Rutshuru.