At least two Ugandan soldiers were injured in an ambush by unidentified armed men in the conflict-ridden eastern DR Congo, according to media reports. A convoy of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) came under fire at around 10 AM on Monday, October 16, along the Bunagana-Rutshuru road in North Kivu province. ALSO READ: Fighting resumes in eastern DR Congo; what’s at stake? In an interview with Uganda's ChimpReports, UPDF spokesperson Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye said an investigation was ongoing to identify the attackers. The two soldiers were admitted in a field hospital in Bunagana while in a critical condition, he said. The publication said the soldiers were later transferred across the border to Kisoro Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda’s Kisoro District. ALSO READ: EAC boss, Museveni discuss DR Congo crisis “Of course, we responded to the attack and the rebels, who were about six in number in a banana plantation, fled,” Kulayigye was quoted as saying. Eastern DR Congo has been volatile for nearly three decades and remains home to more than 130 armed groups. In March 2023, Uganda deployed troops in the area as part of the East African Community regional force, which is mandated to observe the implementation of a ceasefire between the DR Congo army and the M23 rebel group. ALSO READ: EAC raises concerns over ‘deteriorating’ DR Congo situation ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis: African army chiefs back peace talks The Ugandan troops occupy some areas vacated by M23 rebels. Kulayigye dismissed claims that the M23 rebels might be behind the attack. Heavy fighting resumed on October 1 between the M23 rebels and the government coalition, which includes militias such as the genocidal FDLR, Mai Mai Nyatura, and so-called Wazalendo youth groups. ALSO READ: Rwanda concerned over 2,000 mercenaries in DR Congo, Kinshasa-backed FDLR Regional leaders have since renewed their calls for peace talks to end the conflict, which began in November 2021. However, the Congolese government has ruled out any possibility for dialogue with the M23 rebel group. Since November 2022, the Congolese army and the M23 rebels have had a fragile ceasefire.
