Photo: Clara Padovan/MONUSCO

Goma, 14 September 2011 – It was like re living a Hollywood-type action movie in Walikale territory, Nord-Kivu province, on 9 September 2001. An alert about an attack by the rebel Mai Mai Cheka group on villagers in this remote rural area reached a team of peacekeepers who were on stand-by in the vicinity. The group had just attacked the villages of Mutakato, Mpofi and Kigoma, all located in Walikale territory. The reaction of the Indian peacekeepers was swift.

Word came that Mai Mai Cheka elements, dressed in the uniform of the Congolese national army (FARDC) had attacked the health center at Mutakato, and made away with stacks of medicines and abducted the two sentries on duty. The two hostages were released shortly after.

In their flight, the group seized a Land Cruiser belonging to the local NGO Grace, and sped off towards Kigoma village. Here they came head on with three Congolese soldiers heading to Walikale and Kibua, two nearby towns. The clash that ensued here left one of the three soldiers dead, while the other two were abducted and stripped off their guns. One of the captives managed to escape.

It was then that the peacekeepers from the Rapid Reaction Force entered the chase, routing the assailants and forcing them to retreat into the bush. It was later discovered that four villagers had been kidnapped. The peacekeepers then sealed off the area, making it impossible for the bandits to run back to the mining-rich northern area of the province, where they had their quarters established.

The situation has since returned to normal according to reports from the commander of the Temporary Operating Base at Mpofi. The area has been placed under tighter surveillance, with joint patrols and military operations conducted by MONUSCO and the National Armed forces.