2017 CNPSC offensive

2017 CNPSC offensive
Part of the Kivu Conflict
Date1 June 2017 – 26 December 2017
(6 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Location
South Kivu, DRC
Result

Military stalemate

  • Some towns remain under CNPSC control
  • FARDC counter-offensive starting in December[3]
Belligerents
CNPSC Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Nations MONUSCO[1]
Ngumino[2]
Commanders and leaders
William Yakutumba (CNPSC chairman)
Ebu Ela Kitungano (Mai-Mai Ebu Ela commander)
Sheh Assani Mitende (Mai-Mai Malaika commander)
René Itongwa (Mai-Mai René commander)
Réunion Warusasa (Mai-Mai Réunion commander)
Christophe Mukua Aigle (Mai-Mai Aigle commander)[3]		 Democratic Republic of the Congo Didier Etumba (FARDC chief)[4]
Democratic Republic of the Congo Gaetan Kakudji Bobo (33rd Military Region commander)
Democratic Republic of the Congo Maoro Ruterera (FARDC unit commander)[5]
Democratic Republic of the Congo Samy Matumo (FARDC unit commander)[3]
Casualties and losses
6+ killed[6] 80+ killed[1]
80,000+ displaced

The 2017 CNPSC offensive was a military offensive launched by rebels of the National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo (CNPSC) on 30 June 2017 against security forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO. The goal of the offensive was to capture major settlements, mainly in South Kivu province in order to raise support for a popular uprising against then-president Joseph Kabila, who the coalition had deemed as an illegitimate president.[5]

The offensive culminated in the Battle of Uvira in which rebels attempted to capture the major city, but were eventually pushed out by state security forces.[7] The offensive continued after the battle, but then ended as a counter offensive by the FARDC began in December.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Letter dated 20 May 2018 from the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council". United Nations Digital Library System. June 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "Sud-Kivu : 3 civils tués dans des combats entre miliciens à Uvira". Radio Okapi. August 15, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d "The CNPSC Rebellion" (PDF). Congo Research Group. February 2019.
  4. ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Rebellion fears grow in eastern Congo". Refworld.
  5. ^ a b "Taking Uvira? The remarkable tenacity of the CNPSC coalition". September 28, 2017.
  6. ^ "Fizi : 6 morts dans des combats entre militaires et Maï-Maï Yakutumba". Radio Okapi. September 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "Congo naval boats battle rebels on Lake Tanganyika". Reuters. September 28, 2017 – via www.reuters.com.