Kagogo ambush

Kagogo ambush
Part of Kivu conflict
DateJanuary 4, 2022
Location
Kagogo, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Result Indecisive
Belligerents
FARDC Twiganeho-Makanika
Casualties and losses
6 killed (per Kivu Security Tracker)
2 killed (per FARDC)
5 injured (per FARDC)		 7 killed (per Kivu Security Tracker)
18 killed (per FARDC)

On January 4, 2022, militiamen from the Twiganeho-Makanika armed group ambushed a convoy of Congolese soldiers in the village of Kagogo, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Prelude

The Banyamulenge are Tutsi people from South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and of the fifty active rebel groups in the state, two are predominantly Banyamulenge.[1] These are the Twiganeho, backed by Rwanda, and the Ngumino.[1][2] A third group founded by Michel Rukunda merged into the Twiganeho in 2021, becoming a faction referred to as the Twiganeho-Makanika.[3]

The Twiganeho-Makanika primarily operate in the area of Fizi Territory, against Bembe, Fuliro, and Nyindu communities, in communal conflicts.[4] On November 24, 2021, a Twiganeho-Makanika ambush injured two FARDC soldiers in Kagogo.[5] On December 28, 2021, fighting between the Congolese Army (FARDC) and the Twiganeho-Makanika killed a colonel, three Congolese soldiers, and twelve pro-Congolese militants.[4]

Ambush

While traveling through the village of Kagogo, a group of Congolese reinforcements were ambushed by Twiganeho-Makanika on January 4.[6] The ambush sparked a battle, where the Congolese military stated it killed 18 militiamen and lost two soldiers, with five being injured.[6] Another ambush by the Twiganeho-Makanika occurred in the nearby village of Ishenge as well.[7]

Later, ACLED stated that 13 people were killed in the clashes.[1] The Kivu Security Tracker corroborated this, assessing that seven rebels were killed and six FARDC soldiers were killed.[7]

Aftermath

The Twiganeho-Makanika ambushed FARDC a second time in Kagogo on January 18, killing five Twiganeho-Makanika fighters and three FARDC soldiers.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Democratic Republic of the Congo: The Situation of the Banyamulenge (2020 to March 2022)" (PDF). Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation. April 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "Armed group biographies". 2016-05-17. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  3. ^ Newsroom, B. N. N. (2022-12-31). "Congolese Army Kills 10 Twigwaneho-Makanika armed Rebels in South Kivu Province". BNN Breaking. Retrieved 2023-08-27. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b AfricaNews (2022-01-05). "18 Militiamen killed in DRC-Congo war". Africanews. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  5. ^ "Kivu Security Tracker | Crisis Mapping in Eastern Congo". Kivu Security Tracker | Crisis Mapping in Eastern Congo. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  6. ^ a b "DR Congo Army Says 18 Militiamen Killed". VOA. 2022-01-05. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  7. ^ a b "Kivu Security Tracker | Crisis Mapping in Eastern Congo". Kivu Security Tracker | Crisis Mapping in Eastern Congo. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  8. ^ "Kivu Security Tracker | Crisis Mapping in Eastern Congo". Kivu Security Tracker | Crisis Mapping in Eastern Congo. Retrieved 2023-08-27.