Sunday, February 16, 2025
HomeBreaking NewsPANICKING FOR HELP: Tshisekedi Pleads With Zimbabwe To Join DRC War

PANICKING FOR HELP: Tshisekedi Pleads With Zimbabwe To Join DRC War

Diplomatic and military sources have disclosed that the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi has discreetly reached out to Harare to request military assistance from his counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa.

This comes after the deteriorating situation in east Congo where M23 & Congo River Alliance liberators have taken over Goma and are heading to Bukavu.

Although the Congolese government tried to calm the population, it is clear Kinshasa was trying to activate a military attack to contain the insurgency.

Tshisekedi has since asked Zimbabwean to send troops and military equipment to support the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), currently under pressure on several fronts.

Zimbabwe, a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has historically supported the DRC during previous regional conflicts, notably during the reign of Robert Mugabe. However, direct military intervention would require regional consensus, notably with South Africa and Angola, which play a key role in peace negotiations.

This secret trip is seen by some observers as a sign of growing nervousness within the Congolese regime. While Félix Tshisekedi recently promised a “vigorous response”, the request for external help could indicate a lack of confidence in the abilities of the Congolese army to contain the threat alone.

On the side of the M23 and their supposed allies, this development could redistribute the cards on the ground. A military intervention by Zimbabwe, or even other SADC countries, would change the balance of forces and could force Kigali to review its strategy in the region.

For the moment, no official statement has been made by the Congolese or Zimbabwean authorities. State media remain silent on this trip, and no press release confirms or denies this information.

Time will tell whether this visit will result in a concrete military build-up or whether it is just a desperate attempt by Tshisekedi to rally allies in a dragging war.

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular

Recent Comments