DRC: Kinshasa claims to have regained ground against the Mobondo.
The Congolese government claims to have secured the surrender of nearly 600 fighters from the Mobondo group and secured several areas in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the threat remains, as some militia members are still holed up in the bush.
SUMMARY
Facing the press on Monday, August 17, Minister Delegate in charge of Veterans, Éliezer Ntambwe, assured that the authorities had regained ground against the Mobondo. The armed group, which emerged in 2022 in the Kwamouth territory of the Maï-Ndombe province, has since expanded to Kwilu and Kwango, reaching the outskirts of Kinshasa.
The crisis originated from a land conflict between the Teke and Yaka communities. According to figures provided by humanitarian organizations, the violence has resulted in over 5,000 deaths and the displacement of around 280,000 people. However, the Congolese government contests the notion of an intercommunal war, framing the conflict as a land dispute that escalated into armed clashes.
Nearly 600 surrenders and 146 weapons submitted
Tasked by Kinshasa with securing the surrender of fighters in the west of the country, Éliezer Ntambwe claims that nearly 600 former militiamen have already been transferred to Kanyama Kasese in the southeast of the DRC. They are undergoing a reintegration process supervised by the National Service.
The authorities also indicate that 146 weapons have been officially handed over to the military forces. Other weapons are still being centralized, according to the minister, who did not provide a detailed timeline for the completion of the operation.
On the ground, 72 villages are reported to have been pacified. The minister also assures that the national roads RN1 and RN17 are now passable “without fear.” However, these statements have not been accompanied, in the available information, by an independent assessment of the security situation in the affected areas.
The stabilization of these roadways is a significant issue for displaced populations and for exchanges between the west of the country and Kinshasa. The violence had indeed disrupted traffic and increased insecurity in several territories of Maï-Ndombe, Kwilu, and Kwango.
Fighters still present in the bush
Kinshasa nonetheless acknowledges that not all fighters have laid down their arms. Some members of the group remain hidden in hard-to-access areas. To secure more surrenders, the government is currently prioritizing awareness campaigns rather than a military offensive or the opening of secret negotiations.
The question of accountability is also still open. The authorities do not rule out the establishment of a transitional justice mechanism based on reconciliation while seeking to prevent a recurrence of violence. The specific modalities of this potential procedure have not yet been clarified.
The government intends to accompany the surrenders with a reintegration and peace return process. However, the persistence of fighters in the region shows that the end of clashes cannot yet be considered a done deal.
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