Amid rising regional tensions, last Tuesday, Uganda’s military announced the deployment of troops to Bunia, a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to tackle local militias amid a backdrop of escalating violence in the region.
Uganda has deployed more than 1,000 additional soldiers in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo in the past week near an area where the Kinshasa government is fighting M23 rebels, heightening fears of a regional escalation.
The move comes as the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group continues its advance, capturing key territories like Goma and Bukavu in the neighboring North and South Kivu provinces. With additional Ugandan soldiers sent to the DRC in the past week, concerns are growing about a potential regional conflict reminiscent of the devastating Second Congo War.
Felix Kulayigye, Uganda’s military spokesman, confirmed the deployment, stating, “We have deployed our troops in Bunia. There were massacres being committed by some militia groups, and we agreed with our Congolese counterparts to carry out joint operations to save lives.” Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, is already home to thousands of Ugandan troops working alongside DRC forces to combat the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group tied to the Islamic State. The latest deployment falls under Operation Shujaa, aimed at securing Uganda’s borders and countering the ADF, a persistent threat responsible for attacks on Ugandan soil.
However, Uganda’s increased military presence—now estimated at 4,000 to 5,000 troops in the region, according to UN sources—raises questions about its broader intentions. Historically, both Uganda and Rwanda have intervened in eastern DRC under the pretext of border security, only to face allegations of exploiting the region’s rich natural resources, particularly gold. UN experts have previously accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, a charge Kampala vehemently denies.
The situation is further complicated by fiery rhetoric from Uganda’s armed forces chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba. On Saturday, he issued a 24-hour ultimatum via X, threatening to attack militias in Bunia if they did not surrender. Known for provocative online statements, Kainerugaba’s post has fueled fears of escalation, though he has claimed some of his threats are not serious.
“I’m giving exactly 24 hours for all forces in Bunia to surrender their arms! If they don’t we shall consider them enemies and attack them,” Kainerugaba posted on X.
Meanwhile, the M23’s rapid gains—most recently seizing Bukavu after taking Goma—have intensified pressure on DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, who has called on allies like Burundi, Tanzania, and South Africa for support. The rebels’ advance in this mineral-rich, volatile region has reignited memories of the late 1990s and early 2000s, when foreign-backed conflicts killed millions through violence, hunger, and disease.
Like Rwanda, Uganda has previously invaded eastern Congo militarily in 1996 and 1998, claiming it was defending itself from rebel groups.
Analysts warn that Uganda’s troop buildup, even if framed as defensive, could draw the country deeper into the DRC’s turmoil. Residents near Bunia have reported seeing Ugandan forces moving toward conflict zones, heightening local anxiety. Despite assurances from DRC officials, such as Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, that Uganda seeks only to secure its borders, the specter of a wider war looms large in a region long plagued by instability.
In March 2023, UPDF deployed 1,000 Soldiers to the region to join troops aligned with the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in efforts to stabilize the country.
In late 2022, the Ugandan military lost two helicopters to crash in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which resulted in at least 22 people killed. One was an Mil Mi-17 helicopter primarily used for transportation. One of the crashes was near the village of Boga in Congo’s Ituri province on Monday, and the other was in the border zone of Kabarole, Uganda.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has activated Operation Springbok III in response to the advance of M23 rebels on the North Kivu capital, Goma. The operation, led by UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Special Representative, Bintou Keita, involves two battalions, a Special Forces platoon, and an artillery battery as part of a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to counter the offensive.