Kagogo ambush

Kagogo ambush
Part of Kivu conflict
DateJanuary 4, 2022
Location
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

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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

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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

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

References

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  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.