DR Congo summons Uganda diplomat over M23 conflict

KINSHASA, DR Congo 

Uganda again rejected United Nations allegations that it is backing M23 rebels in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo after Kinshasa summoned the Ugandan charge d'affaires over the issue.

Since late 2021, M23 has seized large tracts of territory in North Kivu province, with a recent report commissioned by the U.N. Security Council alleging "active support" for the rebels by Ugandan army and military intelligence officials.

On Friday, Uganda's charge d'affaires, Matata Twaha Magara, denied his country was helping the group after he was summoned for talks with Congolese deputy foreign minister Gracia Yamba Kazadi.

"Our position has been clear that in the East African community we need to work together to flush all the negative forces that are disturbing us," Magara said.

He referred to the joint operation in eastern DRC by Congolese and Ugandan troops against ADF rebels affiliated with the Islamic State.

The ADF, originally made up of mainly Muslim Ugandan rebels, has established a presence over the past three decades in eastern DRC, killing thousands of civilians.

Magara claimed that Kazadi "called me to inquire about issues regarding our bilateral relations. She wanted to know what is happening.

"Of course I assured her our bilateral relations are cordial," he said, noting that Kampala was still "waiting for the official communication from the U.N. office" to respond to the U.N. allegations.

"The U.N. should give, first, the concerned countries the report so that they can respond to those accusations," he said.

In the report published on July 8, U.N. experts said they had confirmation of "active support" for M23 from members of Ugandan intelligence.

The report said 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers had been fighting alongside M23 rebels in the mineral-rich east, displacing millions of people, and that Kigali had "de facto control" of the group's operations, a claim Rwanda denies.

The experts also said they had evidence confirming "active support for M23 by certain UPDF [Uganda People's Defense Forces] and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence officials."

Two days later Uganda's deputy defense spokesperson Deo Akiiki told AFP the allegations against Kampala were "laughable, baseless and illogical."