Burundian Troops Deploy In DR Congo After Peace Deal

Burundian troops began deploying Monday in troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to help enforce a peace initiative backed by a seven-nation regional bloc, the DRC's military said

Bukavu, DR Congo, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2022 ) :Burundian troops began deploying Monday in troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to help enforce a peace initiative backed by a seven-nation regional bloc, the DRC's military said.

"The Burundi defence forces contingent officially entered DRC (today)... under the forces pooling framework put forward by the heads of state of the EAC," East African Community, said Lieutenant Marc Elongo, army spokesman in South Kivu province.

The contingent, comprising "a large number of soldiers", is under the command of the DRC forces and currently stationed at a training facility in the Uvira area, he told AFP.

The Burundians and their DRC counterparts "are tasked with hunting down all foreign and local armed groups in order to restore peace" in eastern Congo, he said.

South Kivu's head of military operations, General Ramazani Fundi, urged the public "to be calm and work honestly with loyalist forces in order to put an end to this activity by irregular forces", said Elongo.