Metro

Rwanda, DR Congo trade accusations over border post attack

Published

1 year ago

February 16, 2023

The Rwandan and Democratic Republic of Congo governments have traded blames over an attack at a border post which spiked tensions between the two neighbours.

Rwanda’s army fired the first salvo on Wednesday when its troops briefly exchanged fire with soldiers from the DRC at the post, claiming the provocation was caused by the Congolese soldiers.

A statement by the Rwandan military in Kigali on Thursday, said “12 to 14 Congolese soldiers entered the neutral zone near the western district of Rusizi and opened fire at a Rwandan border post, in an act of provocation.”

“Our security forces responded and the Congolese soldiers withdrew. There were no casualties on the Rwanda side and the situation is calm,” the statement said.

But while reacting to the accusation, the DRC government, in its own statement released from Kinshasa, denied entering the neutral zone and said there were clashes between its military and a group of “bandits” near the border in Bukavu.

“In no case did the army cross the neutral zone, let alone open fire in the direction of Rwanda,” Theo Ngwabidje Kasi, governor of South Kivu province, said in the statement.

Kasi said the accusations were lies and described the incident as an altercation involving an exchange of fire between the Congolese security forces and bandits.

“Rwanda’s tendency to want to portray itself as a victim and stoke tensions by making false accusations reveals without any doubt its intention to attack South Kivu province, as is currently the case in the war of aggression that it is carrying out in North Kivu,” Kasi added.

The incident is coming against a backdrop of existing tensions between the DRC and its smaller neighbour over an offensive in the eastern Congolese province of North Kivu.

In January, Rwanda accused a Congolese fighter jet of violating its airspace near Goma, a town on North Kivu’s border after the plane came under fire but was able to land safely in Goma.

Kinshasa had described the attack on its aircraft as “a deliberate act of aggression that equals an act of war” with the goal of sabotaging regional peace efforts.

The DRC has also accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group that has been fighting in eastern DRC for more than a decade, while Rwanda in turn, accuses the DRC of supporting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group based in the DRC and has carried out raids into Rwanda in the past.

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Metro

Nigerian troops neutralise 216 terrorists, arrest 332 in one week— Official

Published

17 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Nigerian Army Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops from different operation theaters across the country neutralised 216 terrorists and arrested 332 persons in the past one week.

A report released on Sunday morning by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed that troops also succeeded in arresting 24 “perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages across the country” in the week under review.

Buba noted that troops in the Niger Delta region denied oil thieves crude estimated to be worth the sum of Four Hundred and Forty Eight Million Five Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Naira.

According to the Army spokesman, troops in the oil rich region also discovered and destroyed 97 dugout pits, six boats, 20 storage tanks, two receivers, 16 drums and seven vehicles used in oil bunkering activities.

“Other items recovered incl 174 cooking ovens, one pumping machine and 8 illegal refining sites,” the report noted.

“Troops recovered 533,127 litres of stolen crude oil and 24,520 litres of illegally refined AGO,” he said.

Gen. Buba said that in other operation theatres, troops recovered 234 assorted weapons and 5,994 assorted ammunition.

“A breakdown of the discoveries include 131 AK47 rifles, 3 PKT guns, one M16 rifle, 43 locally fabricated gun, 21 dane guns, one 105mm gun, 2 automatic pump action guns, 18 locally fabricated pistols, 8 single barrel guns, 2 automatic pump action guns, one LG4 bomb, one MG skeleton, 3 explosive IED case, one MOWAG APC, one 81mm mortar tripod stand

“Others are; 3,120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,195 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 211 rounds of 9mm ammo, 99 rounds of 7.62 x 25mm ammo, 467 live cartridges, one rifle butt, 15 magazines, 2 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 38 motorcycles, 43 mobile phones and the sum of N871,500.00 amongst other items.”

He reiterated that the military is going to continue to be very kinetic and strong against terrorists in ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations across the country.

“Indeed, we will banish and defeat terrorism from the nation rather than bow to it.

“Troops are maintaining the momentum in neutralizing the terrorist leaders and commanders. Indeed, we remain focused in fighting for the basic safety and security of citizens of this country,” he added.

Metro

Mapanza traditional council shares positive outlook on media rights, freedom of expression

Published

2 days ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Jonathan Muchindu, a representative of the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom in Choma District, Southern Province, Zambia, asserts that the media in Zambia currently enjoys “total” freedom of expression.

Muchindu attributed this position to the advancement of civilization, which he identified as a significant factor in ensuring media freedom.

He emphasized the role of the media in providing citizens with the necessary information to make informed decisions.

In an exclusive interview with Zambia Monitor in Choma, Muchindu, who also serves as the Director of the Zambia Corruption Prevention Watchdog, described the media and its content as essential elements akin to “food on the table.”

“We are truly privileged to witness the advancements in civilization. Previously, the media was confined to the hands of a few individuals, and its reach was limited.

“However, with the advent of technology, accessing news through various platforms such as radio and television has become commonplace.

“The media has evolved into an indispensable source of information, and its participation is now integral to our daily lives,” he remarked.

When questioned about the operational landscape of the media, Muchindu expressed confidence that no media entity currently faces undue interference or censorship.

“From our perspective, both in rural villages and urban centers, we have not encountered instances where journalists or media outlets have been subjected to harassment or undue influence.

“This collaborative effort had ushered in a sense of enlightenment among the populace, allowing for open discourse on governance matters, particularly in the realm of politics.

“The media enjoyed the same freedoms as ordinary citizens, and there is unequivocal liberty in its expression,” Muchindu concluded.

The declaration by the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom underscored a positive outlook on media freedom in Zambia and reaffirmed the critical role of the media in fostering informed public discourse.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.