The new force commander of the East African Community regional force (EACRF) in eastern DR Congo, Maj Gen Alphaxard Kiugu, has urged his troops to focus on their mandate, improve on the lessons learnt since deployment.

On Monday, May 22, Kiugu made a command visit to the Burundian contingent in Mubambiro and Mushaki in Masisi territory in North Kivu province, the EACRF tweeted.

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Kiugu assumed his duties as EACRF commander, on May 18, after taking over from Maj Gen Jeff Nyagah, who stepped down and was subsequently reassigned to other command duties in Kenya.

During the visit, the new force commander was briefed on the current security situation, deployment of Burundian troops under the EACRF, current and projected operation as well as milestones of the contingent since deployment.

Burundi Contingent Sector Commander, Lt Col Dismas Zino, briefed Kiugu on how Burundian troops managed to recover stolen livestock and evacuate injured civilians as a result of attacks by armed groups in the area.

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Kiugu commended the troops for their good work in protecting the vulnerable population and prioritizing security through regular patrols to dominate their area of operation.

"Engagement with key leaders in this region remains critical in order to understand the people’s needs,” Kiugu told the troops.

He assured them that the force headquarters was "doing everything possible to ensure you receive the necessary support towards executing your tasks.”

Kiugu "implored them to remain focused on implementing the EACRF mandate, improve on the lessons learnt since deployment and assess areas that can be reviewed to improve operations."

The force commander interacted with the local population and visited one of the reopened schools.

The EAC regional force was deployed in November 2022, with a mandate of supporting a peace process that would see the M23 rebel group as well as other militias withdraw.

The EAC regional force comprising troops from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan has secured several territories vacated by the M23 rebels.

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Eastern DR Congo is home to more than 130 foreign and local armed groups, which are responsible for atrocities.

Earlier in May the Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced that it would deploy troops to eastern DR Congo to combat armed groups and restore security ahead of national elections in December.