The Congolese army announced that it had recovered more than 350 villages hidden in the territories of Djugu, Irumu and Mambasa, including the territory of Mahagi against the signatories and non-signatories of the Nairobi agreement concretized by the program of Disarmament, Demobilization and Community Reintegration and Stabilization (P-DDRCS). This offensive operation was carried out within the framework of the state of siege decreed two years ago in the province of Ituri.
Army spokesman Lt. Jules Ngongo said the army had also reopened all roads in the province, once besieged by armed groups. The army also neutralized more than 300 members of the ADF and allies, obtained the surrender of 80 combatants, arrested, tried and condemned 40 others by the Ituri military justice system. These results were achieved through both military and non-military approaches used against local armed groups with community connotations. The military governor organized Bira, Hema, Lendu intra-community dialogues in preparation for the inter-community dialogue and inter-community militias.
Thus, two years after the state of siege, the province of Ituri is in the process of being stabilized unlike the past 20 years. The armed forces have significantly reduced the capacity of foreign armed groups, disarmed local militias and educated the population on the culture of peaceful conflict resolution, reconstruction and reconciliation of the Iturian people for peace and development. Offensive operations against armed groups continue in the province.
Lieutenant Jules Ngongo condensed these results into a list: the participation of Ituri armed groups in the Nairobi process, the adherence of armed groups to the P.DDRC-S disarmament program, the reduction in community visits, the resumption of socio-economic, socio-cultural and sporting activities in large cities. This resulted in the execution of the project of 145 territories in Irumu and Mambasa and the total success at 90% of the process of enrollment and identification of people throughout the province of Ituri.