Ex-M23 Rebels Slip Through Repatriation Process, Found In Uganda Camps

Written by Makula Dunbar

Dec 18, 2014

Around 1 000 ex-fighters from a Democratic Republic of Congo rebel group were found in a Ugandan refugee camp Wednesday, a day after fleeing moves to repatriate them, the Ugandan army said.

The ex-rebels from the M23 group fled the Bihanga camp 300km southwest of Kampala on Tuesday, as the Ugandan army attempted to repatriate some of the group.

Ugandan army spokesperson Paddy Ankunda told AFP that around 1 000 ex-rebels were in the nearby Rwamwanja refugee camp, run by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), on Wednesday.

Thirty five returned to Bihanga, he said on his Twitter account. On Tuesday night, 120 former rebels flew out of Kampala to return to DRC.

Rwamwanja houses around 50 000 refugees who fled fighting between M23 militants and the DRC army in the east of DRC. The ex-rebels were reportedly worried about their safety if they were sent back home.