EACRF deny claims of fresh clashes between M23 rebels and Burundi troops

GOOBJOOG NEWS | GOMA: The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) has denied claims of fresh clashes between the M23 armed group and Burundi forces.

Speaking to journalists in Goma EACRF Commander Maj-Gen Jeff Nyagah said no fresh clashes had been reported between the Burundi forces and the rebels but added that there was an incident in an area called Jerusalem, 13 kilometres from Sake, where a Burundi contingent on patrol came under attack.

“We have no evidence that Burundi EAC contingent engaged the M23 because to our understanding, Sake has been verified as an area that M23 vacated,” he said.

Adding, “They conducted themselves in a very professional way and were able to capture seven members of armed group. There were no casualties on their part.”

He said the suspects were brought to the force’s headquarters in Goma and were handed over to the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) for processing, with the direct involvement of the DRC government.

“The joint mechanism will interrogate and identify which armed group they belong to. As a force headquarter, we do not interrogate people, we don’t hold people in custody here, we do not have a prison. We respect the territorial sovereignty of DRC,” he said.