The Ugandan contingent under the East African Regional Force (EACRF) has started withdrawing from eastern DRC where it has been deployed since March this year.
Photos released by the UPDF indicated that the Ugandan army had withdrawn its arsenal from DRC and is now at the Bunagana border.
East African heads of state last year agreed to have a regional troop deployment in DRC amidst the tension caused by the fighting between M23 rebels and government troops.
The regional troops would later help secure several areas which were previously in the hands of the M23 rebels but also occupied those vacated by the rebels.
However last month, following a summit on 25 November, the East African Community announced that the DRC “would not renew the mandate of the regional force beyond 8 December 2023”.
This coincided with an agreement signed by DRC allowing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force to replace the departing EAC Regional Force.
In a statement early this week, the Ugandan contingent spokesperson, Capt Ahmad Hassan Kato said the withdrawal will be done in a phased manner until January,7, 2024 so as to curtail any disruption that can lead to any security space.
“The Ugandan contingent urges all armed groups to facilitate the withdraw of the UPDF troops by observing total cease fire so as to allow the forces exit from the mission area safely,” Capt Kato said.
Other troop contributing countries including Kenya, Burundi and South Sudan have already started the withdrawal process.
It however remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in eastern DRC, especially in areas where the regional peacekeeping force has withdrawn.
M23 rebels recently threatened to take back all areas vacated by the regional force.
