The civil society of Mushaki, in the territory of Masisi (North Kivu) welcomed, on Sunday September 24, the arrival of the FARDC, led by the interim governor, to regain control of this entity.
According to testimonies, soldiers already occupy certain strategic positions in this region. Which reassures the population.
During an exchange with the provincial authority, the residents of Mushaki also demanded the return of the police to secure the population in these villages.
According to the general rapporteur of civil society in Masisi, Télésphore Mitondeke, the resumption of Mushaki is a first step that was expected by the population.
He expressed the wish to see the police regain the integrity of the territory of Masisi.
« We welcomed the initiative of the interim governor of North Kivu’s visit to Mushaki. The fact that the governor took the courage to declare that from now on the loyalist forces must be redeployed, even where there is the presence of EAC contingents, because we have never agreed that entities are abandoned in the hands of foreign forces ”, noted Telesphore Mitondeke.
However, this social actor deplored that despite the presence of the EAC regional force in Masisi, the M23 rebels are still visible on certain important axes, notably in Kilolirwe, Kitshanga, Kazumba, Busumba until around Bwiza in Rutshuru territory.
A strategic position
The locality of Mushaki is one of the strategic positions for the security of the territory of Masisi. Located about 15 km west of Sake, Mushaki is located between the Mupfunyi-Matanda and Mupfunyi-Karuba groups, in the Bahunde chiefdom.
It connects the city of Goma to Masisi center, while that of Kirolirwe, also strategic, connects Goma to the Masisi-Kitchanga axis.
Mushaki also gives access to the mining area of Rubaya as well as the Karuba region further to the North, but also to the South, it gives access to the city of Sake and Minova on national road number II.
The Mushaki region being in a mountainous area gives an advantage in military operations compared to the Sake, Minova and even Masisi center axes.
The recapture of this locality last Friday by the FARDC raised hope among the local population who had remained under the yoke of the M23 rebels for a long time, thus suffering humanitarian consequences caused by clashes.
According to local sources, this presence of the army in Mushaki will secure traffic but also other socio-economic activities in this part of Masisi.
This presence will also encourage the return of thousands of populations who have fled the region since last February to take refuge in displaced persons camps.
The latter only wanted this return of the army and the police to be permanent in order to secure their original environments.