FDLR military chief on the run

GOMA – Capt. Olivier Hamuli, the Spokesman of the joint FARDC-RDF operations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tuesday revealed that the Commander of FDLR rebels’ military wing, Maj. Gen. Silvestre Mudacumura, was on the run but had nowhere to hide. Speaking to The New Times at the Joint Task Force (JTF) headquarters in Goma, Capt. Hamuli stressed that Gen. Mudacumura’s militia have been seriously beaten and put in disarray during joint military operations against them in the past four weeks. “Presently, he (Gen. Mudacumura) is still running in the bush but he has no real fighting force at all,” Capt. Hamuli said. “He is only left with a few escorts and that is no force. The others who remain are scattered and fleeing,” he added, also mentioning another of Gen. Mudacumura’s officers still at large – Col. Sadiki. Hundreds of FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) fighters either been captured or killed with an almost equal number of weapons and munitions recovered during the current joint Rwanda-DRC military offensive against them. Apart from the ever increasing number of fighters killed and surrendering, however, the FDLR has also been dealt heavier blows after the military alliance killed and captured two of its top commanders respectively. Lt. Colonel Anaclet Hitimana, alias, Kabuyoya Gasarasi, a senior commander of the rebel group was shot and killed by the joint Rwanda-DRC forces last month. And just last week, Lt. Col. Michel Habimana, alias Edmond Ngarambe, their former Spokesman was captured at the frontline in Masisi, eastern DRC. Habimana is the highest ranking FDLR officer to be captured so far and, Capt. Hamuli insisted that the “job will be finished.” “Understand that this is a must, we must and are without doubt going to destroy him, finish him off and put an end to his activities in Congo, here, once and for all.” Mudacumura is reportedly fleeing towards DRC’s Orientale Province, with Maiko National Park as his likely destination. Capt. Hamuli also explained what would follow, now that the end-of-February deadline for the Rwandan army’s stay in the DRC was fast approaching. “End of February is the deadline for Rwandan forces to return home but you must understand that this does not signify that it will be the end of operations against the FDLR,” he emphasized. “The operations will continue until we (FARDC) finish him (Mudacumura) off.” Meanwhile, a much awaited press conference by the joint operations’ high command was put off and adjourned to a later but yet unspecified date. “The press conference will still take place sometime soon. It has just been rescheduled since there were some delays, people are very busy here,” Capt. Hamuli said. “You know I couldn’t have held it alone – but it will be held for sure.” The FDLR are remnants of the former Rwanda government forces (Ex-Far) and Interahamwe militia responsible for the 1994 Genocde against Tutsis in Rwanda that cost the lives of over one million people. They fled to eastern DRC after being routed by the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) where they have been operating with impunity for the last 15 years. Ends