| SAMPLE OF MOST IMPORTANT ARMED GROUPS | ||||
CNDP | (split) Gen Bosco Taganda Gen Laurent Nkunda Philippe Gafishi Col Sultan Makenga | 3,000-4,000 integrated 1,000-2,000 unitegrated | Control the Masisi highlands between Ngungu and Mweso | Protect Tutsi community Protect interests of local elites (land, cows, businesses) |
| FDLR | Gen Sylvestre Mudacumura | 3,000-4,000 | Deployed in rural areas throughout rural South and North Kivu and Maniema. | Extract resources, maintain ideology overthrowing RPF but little hope |
| ACPLS | Gen Janvier Buingo Comd Innocent Balume Comd Innocent Dunga | 500-2,000 | Centered around Nyabiondo, western Masisi. | Protect local Hunde community, in particular against ex-CNDP troops. |
| Mai-Mai Cheka | Colonel Cheka | 50-200 | Based around Mubi and Njigala, Walikale | Benefit from taxation rackets and put pressure on mining companies workin in the Bisie mine. |
| PARECO | Gen Ntasibanga ? | 300-1,000 | Lubero/Masisi territory | |
| FPLC | “Gen.” Gadi Ngabo | 200-500 | In Rutshuru territory and Uganda | Galvanize former CNDP officers, obtain backing from Uganda. |
| UJPS | Tumai Byamungu, official in ministry of interior | 500-1,000 | No permanently located troops, mostly within FARDC | Mostly kadogo from the AFDL era, multi-ethnic |
| Mai-Mai Mongol | Bigembe Nturinkukiko Felicien Miganda Dieudonne Shobora | 500-1,500 | In southern Masisi | Composed of Hutu Partially integrated into FARDC |
| Mai-Mai Kifuafua | Colonel Delphin Mbaende Didier Bitaki Colonel Akilimali | 300-1,000 | In southern Masisi territory | Partially integrated into FARDC Mostly Hunde and Tembo |
| Mai-Mai Simba | Colonel Marhegane | 100-200 (?) | Around Miti, Kabare territory | A split off from the former Mudundu 40 group |
| FRF | Gen Venant Bisogo Gen Michel Rukunda | 100-300 | In Biabo forest, Fizi territory | |
| Mai Mai Yakutumba | Col Yakutumba | 150-250 | Around Baraka, Fizi territory | Strong anti-Tutsi ideology Collaboration with FDLR Mostly from Bembe community |
| Raia Mutomboki | Political representative: Gilbert Ngongo of South Kivu provincial assembly | 100-1,000 | Shabunda territory | A self-defense group with little capacity that lies dormant most of the time |
| Jeshi la Uma | | 100-300 | Shabunda territory | |
| Mai Mai Zabuloni | Colonel Zabuloni (now in Bukavu, leadership struggle) | 50-150 | Rusizi plains, moyen plateau of Uvira territory | Little coherent ideology Soldier mostly from Fuliro community |
| Mai Mai Kirikicho | Colonel Kirikicho | 50-200 (?) | In high plateau of Kalehe territory, Bunyakiri | Declared over 1,300 combatants but none entered integration process Poorly organized and disciplined |
| Mai Mai Nyakiriba | Colonel Nyakiriba | 100-200 | Around Kasika, Mwenga territory | Not very active |
| Mai Mai Kapopo | Colonel Kapopo | 200-400 | Around Miki, Mwenga territory | Not very active |
| Mai-Mai Kyatende | “General” Kyatende Dittman | 50-200 | Southern Shabunda | Kyatende was the manager of the Muungano soccer team in Bukavu and was married to a German women before he decided to start an armed rebellion in 2010. |
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
List of armed groups in the Kivus
Armed groups in the eastern Congo are like brooms in Disney's (Goethe) Sorcerer's Apprentice: They just seem to keep multiplying. This is my effort to come up with a decent list of armed groups in the Kivus.
Mr. Stearns,
ReplyDeleteHello. I would most greatly appreciate some clarifications on this and the previous post on Gadi Ngabo's militia, said to be the FLEC. The split between Bosco and the Nkundists was present from the beginning, that is given. Rwanda supported Bosco for reasons including what is stated above.
On Oct. 17 you reported that Bosco was forging ties with Ugandan businessmen over the logging trade at Bunagana and trying to win Ugandan support. No mention of Gadi was made in this instance. Bosco had an arms cache in Ngungu, where Gadi hails from. The UN reported Gadi was recruting new fighters in Rutshuru this initiative had the backing of Raphael Soriano, an Nkunda loyalist and financier you investigated.
On Nov 5 09, you reported "Bosco's troops" realigning along Ishasha with the help and cooperation of his cousin Gadi Ngabo, who is also Wilson Nsengiyumva's brother, a CNDP officer loyal to Bosco, and that Gadi was in Kampala with Floribert Kisembo, also "close" to Bosco.
In a detailed report on Nov 19, you outlined the situation between the 2 factions and stated Gadi was helping Bosco's recruiting campaign from the Ugandan border area in Rutshuru.
On Nov 29, Josh Kron reports the launch of the FLEC with Bosco at the head. The group was incorporating Hutu who were dissatisfied Mai-Mai, Hutu allied with Serufuli, and some former FDLR, some of these elements and their backers, it was suggested, felt threatened by the Nande power base in the area (a simplistic outline).
On Dec 1, 09, you reported on this blog the FLEC was led by Bosco.
Then later Gadi was on VOA claiming to be the founding the FLEC.
Of course, the Nkundists are angry with Rwanda for arresting him, so their turn to Uganda, which began in 2008, is not surprising as the proxy war between the two states has not ceased since 2001. Rwanda clearly believes rightly or wrongly that they have entered a coalition against them as your source correctly noted that ex-CNDP soldiers and politicians in Rwanda have been detained en masse since May.
My main question is when and why did Gadi, a relative and supporter of Bosco's Rwandan-backed FLEC (now referred to as CNDP?) and Mugogwe turn and join the anti-Rwandan primarily Bajomba Nkundists? I realize the ties to Uganda are there since Gadi stayed in Kampala for a long time, the CNDP cultivated ties with business elites bc of Bunaganda, recruited fighters, recieved arms and training from Uganda in 2008, but how has the relationship between Bosco and Gadi been affected?
One of the main questions is when and why did Ngabo supposedly split from Bosco and align fully with Nkundists and Uganda? Are Bosco and Gadi still working together in some capacity? Who is the real FLEC or are they two separate branches of the same? The reasoning and motives seem to muddy.
Thank you very much for your time and attention to this post (and the same to anyone else who has anything to contribute). I apologize for such a long "comment" but as you know perhaps better than anyone the situation is very complex, dynamic, and the details are almost a necessity in discussing it.
WNJ -
ReplyDeleteSorry, but it's a big confused mess at the moment with internal CNDP politics. You have good questions, and I dont really have any good answers for the moment. I will try to get back to you soon with some more intelligent analysis.
Is there an estimate of the number of FARDC forces (sans "integrated" CNDP) currently deployed in the Kivus?
ReplyDelete-Also, thanks for the interesting presentation at Columbia back in March.-
Well, if nothing else I at least have the 2 groups sorted out. Simple and silly error on my part committed by confusing acronyms. This should help keep track a bit.
ReplyDeleteBosco's group = FLEC (not CNDP)
Ngabo's group = FPLC (NOT to be confused with the FPJC in Orientale Province)
Do you have any thoughts/ suggestions for sources on RUD/ RUD URANA? Are they an FDLR offshoot/affiliate?
ReplyDelete