U.S. Embassy Commends FARDC and MONUSCO for Combined Military Operations in South Kivu In anticipation of imminent military operations against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the United States commends the combined military action begun January 5, 2015 by the DRC armed forces (FARDC) and United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) against the Burundian rebel group, National Liberation Forces (FNL) in South Kivu, eastern Congo. The United States notes the expiry of the January 2 deadline for the voluntary demobilization of the FDLR and reiterates full U.S. support for the position of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the United Nations Security Council that those members of the FDLR who failed to demobilize now face military action. The combined FARDC/MONUSCO operation against the FNL clears the way for an offensive against the FDLR and makes plain to them and other armed groups that there is no option for them to continue their illegal armed activities anywhere in the DRC. The United States encourages FARDC’s and MONUSCO’s continued coordination and combined action in proceeding now with operations against the FDLR.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 15:31:49 +0000