The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national army (FARDC), has announced that it has killed 15 rebels of the FDLR militia and overrun their base of Ntoto, North Kivu.

This was revealed by Maj. Sylvain Ekenge, FARDC spokesperson for the ongoing UN-backed offensive against the rebels, "Operation KIMIA II”.

Ntoto, 70km north-west of Goma, has been a sensitive security zone where scores of FDLR fighters had found a safe haven.

"We killed 15 fighters on the FDLR side – on our side, there were neither deaths nor any wounded – we also captured three rebels who include a Major, but he is a Congolese of the Pareco militia group which is working with FDLR,” Ekenge told The New Times.

Radio Okapi, which operates from eastern DRC, reported that Ntoto has been in government hands since Saturday night.

Ntoto’s capture will accord significant respite to the FARDC and the local population in north Kivu, as it has been one of the remaining FDLR strongholds.

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