Nearly 100 Congolese police officers crossed the border into Uganda over the weekend seeking refuge from escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a Ugandan military spokesperson said on Monday.
The officers, armed with 43 guns and ammunition, arrived at the Ishasha border crossing in Kanungu district, according to Major Kiconco Tabaro, a regional spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
They have since been disarmed. Tabaro attributed the mass exodus to fierce fighting between the Congolese military and M23 rebels, as well as other armed groups operating in the region.
The influx of police officers comes amid a broader humanitarian crisis as thousands of Congolese civilians have also fled across the border to escape the conflict.
Over the past four days alone, Uganda has received an additional 2,500 refugees, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children.
The M23 rebel group has been a persistent threat in eastern Congo since renewing its insurgency in 2022.
The Tutsi-led rebel group has seized control of significant portions of the mineral-rich region, despite ongoing efforts by the Congolese military to push them back.
The United Nations has accused both Uganda and Rwanda of supporting the M23, allegations both countries deny.
The latest outbreak of violence has displaced over 1.7 million people in North Kivu province, bringing the total number of internally displaced Congolese to a staggering 7.2 million, according to UN estimates.
As the situation in eastern Congo continues to deteriorate, the humanitarian crisis is deepening, placing immense pressure on neighboring countries like Uganda to provide assistance and shelter to the growing number of refugees.