President William Ruto recently deployed the country's army, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), to the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help fend off M23 rebels occupying critical positions in the mineral-rich North Kivu province.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will join the East African Community Regional Forces (EACRF) contingent.
"Deployment of Kenyan troops to the DRC follows a decision endorsed and adopted by regional leaders at the third EAC heads of state conclave on peace and security in the eastern DRC held in Nairobi in June 2022," Colonel Tom Mwanga of the KDF affirmed.
But who are these M23 rebels?
The M23 rebellion started from an armed conflict in North Kivu (DRC) between the March 23 Movement and government forces.
M23 militia was formed in 2012 to defend the interests of Congolese Tutsis.
Bungled implementation of agreements reached with former DRC President Joseph Kabila’s administration generated a resurgence of the current hostility President Tshisekedi’s government faces.
At least 29 people have been killed since mid-June 2022 in areas under the rebel's control.
The fighting between Congolese troops and M23 rebels also led to nearly 200,000 people fleeing their homes. 20,000 children further failed to complete their end-of-year exams in July 2022.
Since May 2022, the M23 has demonstrated increased firepower and defensive capabilities, enabling the group to overrun UN-backed Congolese troops.
The conflict in North Kivu increasingly saw explosive weapons used, from mortar fire and artillery shelling in combat, putting civilians and civilian structures at greater risk.
In June 2012, the then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, described the M23’s leaders as “among the worst perpetrators of human rights abuses in [Congo], or in the world.”
They included Gen. Bosco Ntaganda, who has since been convicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity and Col. Sultani Makenga, who is now referred to as “general”, currently leading the offensive.
