Uganda Hands Over Escaped Congolese Police Officers in Ongoing Conflict with M23 Rebels

Uganda has returned nearly 100 Congolese police officers who fled across the border to Kanungu district in southwestern Uganda to escape clashes between the M23 rebels and Congo's military, according to Ugandan military spokesperson Major Kiconco Tabaro.

The officers' national identities were confirmed, and they were allowed entry into Uganda on humanitarian grounds, in compliance with international law.

The officers were handed back to Congo, along with their weapons, ammunition, and other arms. Tabaro also noted the continuous flow of refugees into Uganda as violence persists in eastern Congo.

The M23 rebel group has been waging a renewed insurgency in Congo’s troubled east since 2022. Despite intensified efforts by Congo's military, which includes the use of drones and aircraft, the rebels have expanded their territory, including the strategic town of Kanyabayonga in North Kivu province.

The ongoing conflict in North Kivu has displaced over 1.7 million people, contributing to a record 7.2 million Congolese displaced by multiple conflicts, according to U.N. estimates.