As part of the East African Community Regional Force, Ugandan troops have taken up peacekeeping duties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s east.
They will be expected to protect civilians in the Rutshuru territory of Bunagana, Kiwanja, and Mabenga.
The troops are also in charge of overseeing the M23 rebels’ withdrawal from an area they have occupied since last June.
The 2,000-strong force will also be in charge of reopening trade routes between the border town of Bunagana and Goma, the regional capital.
This is seen as a significant step toward the full deployment of the regional force, which the East African Community countries see as part of a local solution to the long-running conflict in eastern DR Congo.
