A drone strike by the Democratic Republic of Congo forces has killed two M23 rebel groups fighting with in Eastern DRC, M23 rebels have confirmed.
The M23 announced in a statement that the two commanders died in Kitshanga in North Kivu province’s Masisi territory on Tuesday.
According to officials, Colonel Castro Elise Mberabagabo was among the M23 rebel movement’s intelligence chiefs killed in the precision strike.
Sources said that he also served as M23’s External Relations Officer.
Fighting has intensified between the army forces and the M23 rebels since last month, when government troops (FARDC), supported by known local armed militias “Wazalendo” began using combat drones against rebel positions.
President Felix Tshisekedi recently threatened to use superior aerial weapons to attack Kigali without sending in ground forces.
Kinshasa is also counting on the presence of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in order to achieve lasting peace.
SADC troops took over from an East African peacekeeping force, whose mandate was ended by President Félix Tshisekedi who accused it of conspiring with the rebels.
Rwanda has been accused by DR-Congo, United Nations and the other governments of supporting the M23 to which Kigali denies the claims.
In another incident on Tuesday, Rwanda Defence Forces(RDF) said it shot a Congolese soldier and arrested two others who had illegally crossed the border into Rwanda.
In a comment, the DRC military said the soldiers were on patrol and found themselves on Rwandan territory “by mistake”.
