The use of more sophisticated weapons and air assets by the armed group M23 and concerns Rwanda

From our correspondent in Kinshasa,

This Wednesday, February 21, 2024, an atmosphere filled with emotion reigns at Waterkloof Air Base as the remains of Captain Simon Makhulu Bobe and Corporal Irwen Thabang Semono have just been repatriated. These two soldiers of the South African Army, deployed as part of the SADC Military Force in the East DRC (SAMIDRC), lost their lives on February 14. Their base located in Mubambiro in the Masisi region of North Kivu province was hit by a mortar shell.

The South African army does not directly point the finger at neighboring Rwanda or the armed group M23, she nevertheless announced the launch of an investigation. For the Congolese government, there was no doubt that this was an attack by the Rwandan army.

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I have to say that Rwanda does not tolerate the presence of this force deployed by the Southern African Organization (SADC) in eastern DRC. Two days before the deaths of the two South African soldiers, Kigali openly protested against the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) support for the Southern Africa Force.

Congolese military sources base their accusations against Rwanda specifically on the quality of weapons available to the M23 and the Rwandan army. Unlike other fronts, the operational zone where M23 fighters and Rwandan soldiers are located is distinguished by the presence of high-tech military arsenals.

An impressive military arsenal for the benefit of the M23

M23 has an impressive arsenal, highlighted by UN sources, and is still populated by conflict-affected areas. This includes a variety of weapons such as assault rifles, heavy and light machine guns, various types of rocket launchers, rockets, grenade launchers, recoilless cannons, mortar shells, night vision equipment and many other weapons. The movement’s equipment has been significantly strengthened in recent months, as confirmed by the new nature of this equipment, which cannot come from the old M23 stocks of 2012 and 2013, the UN note suggests.

Recent weapons include a 40mm anti-personnel grenade to be produced in 2021. UN experts also report new weapons in the DRC, such as Galil (Israeli) and AK-103 (Russian) assault rifles. Region in a mixed M23 and RDF camp in Mushaki on March 3, 2023.

On the ground, evidence of the use of 120-millimeter guided mortars is particularly evident. Unlike conventional mortars, guided mortars are equipped with guidance systems that precisely control the trajectory of the shell towards its target. This massive weapon is capable of hitting specific targets, such as fortified enemy positions or armored vehicles. According to a military expert, equipped with laser measuring elements and precision strike capability, it has high lethality. According to UN sources, the weapon has never been found on Congolese territory or in the arsenal of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC).

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How can we establish a link with the Rwandan army and/or M23? Sources present in the theater of operations respond, examining traces left on the ground. For example, on February 27, 2023, north of Sec, a FARDC T54 tank was hit by a mortar attack. Intense fighting involving the presence and operations of the RDF and M23 in the region was documented at the time.

Another case concerns an unfired 120mm guided mortar shell recovered by peacekeepers in Murambi near Mushaki in June 2023. At that time the presence of the Rwandan army was noted in the area. Additionally, on October 24, 2023, remnants of a 120mm guided mortar were found 15 meters from a FARDC camp in Kanyamhoro. According to Congolese and UN sources, the site was shelled the same day from hills controlled by RDF troops.

Presence of anti-aircraft systems

Air assets also play a crucial role in this conflict, as demonstrated by the January 24, 2023 incident. On that day, a Congolese fighter plane flying over Rwandan territory was targeted. Despite the burning wing, the Sukhoi-25 managed to land. Kigali justified the shooting by accusing the Congolese plane of illegal overflight of its territory.

On February 18, 2024, tensions escalated. In response to the DRC’s introduction of Chinese CH-4 attack drones into the operational zone, Rwanda officially announced the deployment of means to ensure the total air defense of its territory.

In the face of rising tensions, on February 20, Nicolas de Riviere, France’s permanent representative to the United Nations, addressed a meeting of the UN Security Council. It firmly affirms that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected and condemns the deployment of anti-aircraft systems incompatible with the capabilities of a simple armed group.

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During the same meeting, Ambassador Robert Wood, one of the American representatives to the United Nations, went further: he asked Rwanda to end its support for M23 and immediately withdraw its forces from Congolese territories as well as its surface system. -MONUSCO Air Assets, according to its sources, deliberately targeted missiles. It also emphasizes that Rwanda’s attitude as a major contributor to UN peacekeeping missions is very worrisome and deserves serious assessment by the international community.

This concentration of more sophisticated military assets in an area where multiple militaries are present, notably DRC, Rwanda and Burundi, as well as MONUSCO and SADC troops, raises major concerns and fuels fears of a more serious escalation. Severity of conflict.