2009 Eastern Congo offensive

Part of Kivu conflict

Date	20 January – 27 February 2009
Location	Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Result	DRC/Rwandan victory

Belligerents

DR Congo

Rwanda

FDLR

Mai-Mai

Commanders and leaders

John Numbi

James Kabarebe

Sylvestre Mudacumura (FDLR)

Strength

Unknown

5,000

6,000 – 7,000

Casualties and losses

5 Congolese soldiers killed, 3 Rwandan soldiers killed, 12 Congolese and Rwandan soldiers wounded

153 FDLR militiamen killed, 8 wounded, 19 captured, 140 surrendered & 5,000 repatriated

250+ civilians killed

Unknown

The 2009 Eastern Congo offensive was a joint Congo-Rwanda military offensive against the Hutu FDLR rebel group descended from those groups that carried out the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Two operations were carried out, 'Kimia II' and 'Umoja Wetu.' 'Kimia' can be translated as 'calm.' “Umoja Wetu” is Swahili for “Our Unity”.

Rwanda and the DRC made an agreement to rout out elements of the FDLR from eastern Congo. On 20 January 2009, 1,000 Rwandan soldiers poured over the border into eastern Congo near Goma and were working, according to United Nations officials, as advisers for the Congolese troops.

On 23 January 2009, some rebels had started to surrender to Rwandan and Congolese troops.

First reports of fighting came on 24 January, when the Congolese army reported they killed nine FDLR militiamen. In response the rebels claimed they didn't lose any men and that the Congolese military itself suffered nine soldiers killed and one wounded in a clash with a group of Mai-Mai militiamen. By this time the FDLR was in retreat from Southern into Northern Kivu province and the number of Rwandan soldiers in the region reached 5,000.

On 26 January 2009, rebels tried to retake the village of Kasinga, but were repulsed by Congolese and Rwandan soldiers in fighting that killed four militiamen.

On 18 February 2009, air strikes killed 40 rebels 5 kilometers west of Goma.

Rwandan forces withdrew on 27 February.

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Wikipedia