The government of Uganda has said it intercepted 101 members of the disbanded M23 rebel group that was fighting to overthrow the government of President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as they attempted to escape.
According to a release by the Uganda Media Centre, the former rebels, travelling in four cars, were arrested in Mbarara enroute the DRC. They had been cantoned at Bihanga military barracks in Ibanda, government said.
According to the government, the 101 who were arrested were following an earlier group of 40 which reportedly escaped from Bihanga late last week. Uganda now says there are 270 former rebels remaining in cantonement, while those arrested are being held at the Div 2 headquarters in Makenke, Mbarara.
On Monday the DRC government spokesperson Lambert Mende, said about 200 armed former members of M23 arrived from Uganda and took over the village of Ishasha, in North Kivu province.
“How could our Ugandan neighbours, with whom we are bound by very serious commitments, allow people who had been living in refugee camps to cross over – armed – into our territory?” Mende was quoted as asking.
