The Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) are making frenetic efforts to reclaim the mining town of Rubaya in Masisi territory of North Kivu Province from the M23 rebels who seized the mineral-rich town back in February, 2023.
Violent clashes have been reported since Saturday between the FARDC and the M23 with local sources revealing that the former had initiated the attacks from Bahunde chiefdom
“The detonations of heavy and light weapons were heard at 5AM this Saturday in the village of Kibabi Buporo, not far from the Mululu River, about 7 kilometers from the center of Rubaya. Now, an uneasy calm is observed in the area and the FARDC spend the night 7 km from Rubaya,” the source revealed.
However, the Civil Society in North Kivu have expressed concern over the attacks having noted that the M23 rebels are planning to launch bomb attacks which may hit civilian settlements.
Rubaya town is one of the most lucrative sites in eastern DR Congo for its richness in mineral resources which have been exported out of the country by M23 fighters since last year when they took control of the town.
