UN peacekeepers delay withdrawal from conflict-torn African state

The pullout has been postponed due to the deteriorating security situation in the eastern part of the DR Congo

The UN stabilization mission (MONUSCO) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is halting its withdrawal, with no timeline for resuming its pullout, the government announced on Monday.

The initial phase of the withdrawal, from South Kivu province, was completed in June. The freeze is occurring amid a resurgence of violence in the eastern part of the DR Congo.

“We pause, we prepare, and we see what comes next based on the reality on the ground,” said Bintou Keita, head of MONUSCO. “The security situation in the Eastern DR Congo has continued to deteriorate, reaching alarming levels of violence and civilian displacements,” she added. 

The eventual withdrawal of more than 12,000 troops in the DR Congo should take place in three phases over the course of this year, according to a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution adopted last December.

Last September, President Felix Tshisekedi requested that the mission expedite the withdrawal of peacekeepers stationed in the country to address the insecurity caused by armed groups vying for territory and resources.

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The initial phase of the pullout from South Kivu province was completed on June 25, according to Congo’s ambassador to the UN, Zenon Mukongo Ngay. That phase had originally been scheduled for completion by April.

Ngay stated that the conditions for the next phase had not yet been met, attributing the delay to escalating clashes in the troubled east of the country, which he blamed on neighboring Rwanda.

In a speech to the UN Security Council, Ngay said “in view of Rwanda’s continued aggression in North Kivu, the next phase of withdrawal, phase two, will be undertaken when conditions allow, following ongoing joint assessments.”

A report released by a group of UN experts on Monday said that Uganda is providing support to M23 rebels, who are reportedly also backed by Rwanda.

READ MORE: UN peacekeepers begin leaving conflict-torn African state

The UN stabilization mission has been working in DR Congo since 1999. Its primarily focus has been to protect civilians from armed groups and support the government’s efforts to stabilize the situation in the east.

The M23 militant group, one of dozens of armed coalitions active in eastern DR Congo for decades, has been accused of seizing large areas of land in North Kivu, forcing more than 800,000 people to flee their homes.