Thousands of Ugandan troops have been arriving in Bunia and set up camp headquarters at Rwampara military center, southeast of Bunia, in the Tséré group (Irumu territory).
According to the DRC government, the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) presence in Bunia is part of the Shujaa operation conducted for four years jointly with the Congolese army(FRDC) against the ADF Islamists in the territory of Beni (North Kivu) and Irumu (Ituri).
From Tuesday until early Wednesday, the UPDF soldiers with all their arsenal were still arriving in Bunia.
However, days before Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Keinerugaba had claimed that he was going to capture Bunia in response to ongoing attacks against the Hema tribes people related to similar hima tribe in Uganda.
“Bunia will soon be in UPDF hands,” Gen. Muhoozi said.
However, the arrival of the Ugandans has caused fear and psychosis among the population in Bunia.
“I call on the entire population of my jurisdiction to remain calm and do their business freely. We must avoid any misinterpretation after their arrival because the authorities are aware of it,” said the head of Tséré group, Zamundu Batagura.
Last Monday, an advance team made up of officers was welcomed by the FARDC in Boga, south of Irumu territory before reaching Bunia where a “harmonization” meeting was chaired by the military governor, Jony Luboya.
“Other meetings will follow to define the actions that will be carried out within the framework of the pooling of forces between the FARDC and the UPDF. The population must be calm, these military operations are part of the search for peace in the province of Ituri,” said Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, spokesman for the army in Ituri.
