The promise follows a recent surge in armed attacks across the country.

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, MONUSCO, has promised to assist the DRC government restore security all over the country, Radio Okapi reported yesterday, January 9, 2014.

Making the promise at a press conference in the capital, Kinshasa, on Wednesday, January 8, 2014, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to the DRC, Abdallah Wafy, said the peacekeeping mission was going to adapt its security strategy to enable the government address various threats. Wafy mentioned among others, the December 30, 2013 attacks in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Kolwezi and Kindu as well as the insecurity created by armed groups in Orientale and Equateur Provinces.

The UN representative added that armed former Séléka and FACA national army fighters from neighbouring Central African Republic, CAR, had crossed into Orientale Province, causing local inhabitants to flee. He warned that urgent measures needed to be taken to ensure that what is happening in eastern part of the country is not repeated in Equateur and Orientale Provinces.  Abdallah Wafy expressed concern about the deteriorating security in Katanga Province, a region he noted, had hitherto been calm.    

Meanwhile, Jeune Afrique magazine this week cited a yet-to-be-released UN report on the security situation in the DRC as making new disclosures. Concerning the defunct M 23 rebels, the report says Rwanda offered them direct support on August 22, 24 and 27, 2013 by sending its troops and tanks to Congo to take part in the fight against DRC’s army and MONUSCO troops. The report backs up the accusation with testimonies from former M 23 fighters and residents of the Congolese border town of Kibumba that was under rebel control at the time.

It adds that some of those who fought for the rebels were demobilised soldiers of the Rwandan Defence Force, RDF, who served as instructors and artillery operators for rebels. The UN experts’ report concludes that even after its defeat at the beginning of November 2013, M 23 continued recruiting in Rwanda. The confidential report also warns against three major threats from ADF Ugandan rebels now led by Jaber Ali Nansa, a former jihad fighter, FDRL Rwandan rebels and the Kata Katanga militia operating in the Manono, Mitwaba and Pweto areas of Katanga Province.