Nearly 100 police officers from the Democratic Republic of Congo fled to neighboring Uganda over the weekend as fighting between M23 rebels and the military in eastern Congo intensified.
According to Major Kiconco Tabaro, a regional spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the officers entered Uganda through the Ishasha border crossing in the Kanungu district of southwestern Uganda.
Upon arrival, the 98 officers were disarmed after being found in possession of 43 guns and ammunition.
“They were fleeing fighting by M23 and other militias and the Congo military, there’s a lot of violence there and then there’s also hunger,” Tabaro stated.
In the last four days, at least 2,500 more Congolese refugees have crossed the border into Uganda, escaping the raging violence.
“The main push factor is the intensifying violence and insecurity,” Tabaro added, adding that among the refugees are pregnant women, nursing mothers, and small children.
Since 2022, the M23 has been leading a renewed insurgency in eastern Congo, an area troubled by numerous militias.
A United Nations report, seen by Reuters last month, indicated that the Ugandan army has supported the Tutsi-led rebel group, an accusation Uganda denies.
The U.N. has also long accused Rwanda, Uganda’s neighbor, of backing the M23, which has repeatedly captured large portions of mineral-rich eastern Congo. Rwanda has denied these allegations.
In response, Congo’s military has intensified efforts to repel the rebels over the past year, utilizing drones and aircraft. Despite these efforts, the M23 has continued to expand its control over more territory.
In June, the rebels captured the town of Kanyabayonga, strategically important due to its high elevation, serving as a key entry point to other regions in North Kivu province.
The ongoing conflict in North Kivu has displaced over 1.7 million people, contributing to a total of 7.2 million displaced individuals across Congo due to various conflicts, according to U.N. estimates.