Military Space News
AFRICA NEWS
Angola parliament okays 500 troops for DR Congo
Angola parliament okays 500 troops for DR Congo
by AFP Staff Writers
Luanda (AFP) March 17, 2023
The Angolan parliament on Friday approved a year-long deployment of up to 500 soldiers to the Democratic Republic of Congo after a ceasefire Luanda brokered between rebels and government troops collapsed.

All 178 lawmakers present in the 220-member parliament on Friday voted to deploy the military.

General Francisco Furtado, minister of state and head of the military section in the Angolan presidency, told local radio on Wednesday that Luanda will send between 450 to 500 soldiers for 12 months.

The deployment was first announced by the presidency on Saturday saying its main objective would be to "secure the areas where the members of the M23 are stationed and to protect" members of a team tasked with monitoring compliance with the ceasefire.

Angolan leader Joao Lourenco has played a key mediation role in the conflict, but the latest ceasefire he negotiated collapsed last week on the same day it was due to take effect.

Luanda said the deployment decision was taken after consultations with Kinshasa, adding other regional leaders as well as the United Nations had been informed.

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi was expected in Luanda on Saturday.

M233 rebels have withdrawn this week from several villages in eastern DR Congo, officials in the region said on Thursday.

A recent lull in fighting came after the Tutsi-led rebel group advanced closer to Goma, threatening to cut off road links to the city of over one million people, on the border with Rwanda.

The M23, or March 23 Movement, is one of scores of armed groups that roam the volatile region.

In 2012, the Tutsi-led group briefly captured the provincial capital Goma before a joint Congolese-UN offensive drove it out.

But fighting erupted again in late 2021 after the M23 accused the Kinshasa of ignoring promises to integrate its fighters into the army.

The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the group, something that Kigali denies, and regional countries have deployed a joint force aimed at stabilising the region.

strs-sn/bp

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
Mali gets warplanes, drones from Russia, Turkey
Bamako (AFP) March 16, 2023
Mali's military rulers took delivery on Thursday of more aircraft from Russia, now its main military and political ally, as well as drones from Turkey, according to an AFP correspondent. Mali's air force chief, General Alou Boi Diarra, said he had received around 20 aircraft and a dozen drones at a ceremony attended by the head of the country's junta, Colonel Assimi Goita, as well as Russian and Turkish diplomats. AFP counted five planes and four drones on the tarmac of Bamako airport. It wa ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
Reagan's 'Star Wars' at 40: Battle of the satellites

Russia to modernise Moscow's air defence systems

North Korea warns US against intercepting missiles during tests

Germany to give Slovakia Mantis air defence systems

AFRICA NEWS
Australia to get 220 Tomahawk missiles from US

Russia pounds Ukraine with barrage of rare hypersonic missiles

Northrop Grumman test fires stage-one solid rocket motor for Sentinel Missile

Japan to buy 400 Tomahawk missiles from US: PM Kishida

AFRICA NEWS
Russian navy 'repelled' drone attack on Crimea port

New "traffic cop" algorithm helps a drone swarm stay on task

Russian drone attack on school kills four in Kyiv region

11 dead in US strikes on Syria after drone kills American contractor

AFRICA NEWS
Silvus Technologies unveils Spectrum Dominance

Rensselaer researcher breaks through the clouds to advance satellite communication

Space Systems Command demonstrates satellite anti-jam capability

SpaceX launches 40 more Internet satellites for competitor

AFRICA NEWS
Ukraine to receive US Abrams tanks by fall: Pentagon

EU agrees 2-billion-euro ammunition plan for Ukraine

German military has 'too little of everything'

Ukraine troops wrap up Leopard tank training in Spain

AFRICA NEWS
NATO chief warns allies must boost defence spending

'Guns and Roses': Bulgaria arms trade booms on Ukraine war

Slovakia offered $1bn in US arms in trade-off for Ukraine aid

UK boosts security spending against China and Russia threats

AFRICA NEWS
Xi departs Russia after 'new era' summit with Putin

Xi departs Moscow, Russia strikes Ukraine school

Moscow trip seen as a win for 'big brother' Xi

Sweden approves NATO entry as Turkey, Hungary ratifications drag

AFRICA NEWS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.