ConflictBarometer_2016

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
DR CONGO, RWANDA (FDLR)
Intensity: 4 | Change: | Start: 1994
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
FDLR vs. DR Congo, Rwanda
national power, subnational predominance,
resources
The conflict over national power in Rwanda, subnational
predominance, and resources in the DR Congo between the
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), on the
one hand, and the governments of the DR Congo (DRC), supported
by MONUSCO, and Rwanda, on the other, continued as
a limited war. FDLR was formed in 2000 after parts of the former
Rwandan army and the Interahamwe militia entered the
DR Congo following the Rwandan Genocide. In the DRC, the
group was solely active in North Kivu province fighting with
the government over the control of Walikale, Masisi, Lubero,
Nyiragongo, and Rutshuru Territories. Apart from government
forces, FDLR frequently clashed with other armed groups [→
DR Congo (Mayi-Mayi et al.)]. The group remained the largest
active militia in the DRC, counting about 1400-1600 fighters
in early March. In the course of the year, at least 188 people,
mainly civilians, were killed and tens of thousands internally
displaced.
By the end of January, the spokesperson of the operation
''Sukola 2'', launched in 2015, claimed that Congolese Armed
Forces (FARDC) had regained control over numerous localities
in Lubero and Walikale. On January 28, MONUSCO and the
government of the DRC agreed to resume joint operations in
the east of the country. On June 23, the UNSC unanimously
passed a Resolution demanding the termination of violence
by FDLR.
Several high ranking FDLR personnel were arrested during
the year. On April 5, Ugandan police arrested FDLR commander
Major Barrack Anan in Kampala, Uganda, and on May 1,
Léopold Mujyambere, the deputy leader of the FDLR, was arrested
by authorities in Goma, North Kivu. In August, FARDC
captured FDLR commander Sabimana Iraguha in Katiru, Rutshuru.
Two months later, Habyarimana Mucebo, suspected
FDLR intelligence chief, was arrested in Rutshuru.
Throughout the year, FDLR repeatedly attacked civilians. On
January 6, alleged FDLR militants armed with guns and machetes
attacked Miriki village, Lobero, killing at least 17 inhabitants.
On January 26, FDLR fighters looted houses in
Bushalingwa, Lubero/Walikale, and abducted about 50 families.
FDLR fighters continued to attack villages in February
and killed at least five people in several incidents. The following
month, FDLR and allied Mayi-Mayi Nyatura fighters
killed at least 31 civilians. Throughout April, FDLR and Mayi-
Mayi Nyatura continued to attack civilians in Masisi, Walikale,
and Rutshuru. In June, civilians fled numerous villages in
Walikale, Rutshuru, and Lubero, in fear of attacks by FDLR
fighters. At least two civilians were killed during attacks on
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villages in Walikale on June 11 and 15. On July 18, FDLR and
Mayi-Mayi Nyatura attacked Kibrizi, Rutshuru, killing seven
and injuring five people. Four days later, FDLR and Mayi-Mayi
Nyatura looted about 30 houses and killed four civilians with
machetes in Bwalanda, Rutshuru. On August 8, eight people
were killed and several houses looted during a similar attack
in Kibrizi. Asaresponse, FARDC launched a six-day operation
in Bwito district, Rutshuru, resulting in six FDLR fighters and
one FARDC soldiers killed.
FDLR repeatedly clashed with FARDC forces. Between March
27 and 29, more than twelve people were killed in fights
between FARDC and FDLR around the village Mpati, Masisi.
Due to the fighting, FARDC shut down several refugee
camps in Mpati, Kivuye, Nyange and Bweru, Masisi, internally
displacing about 36,000 people. At the beginning of
May, FDLR attacked FARDC positions in Kiseguru, Rutshuru,
leaving one FDLR fighter dead and five trucks looted. FDLR
attacked FARDC on May 29, leaving five people dead and one
injured, coming from the forests of Virunga National Park,
Nyirongongo. The following month, FDLR and Mayi-Mayi
Nyatura killed two FARDC personnel and looted acamp in
Tongo-Rusheshe, Rutshuru. From September until the end of
the year, FDLR activity decreased and only one direct confrontation
between FARDC and FDLR resulted in fatalities. On
October 23, FARDC killed four FDLR rebels in Kiwanja, Rutshuru,
and arrested two others.
Following disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration
programs, 153 ex-FDLR fighters returned to Rwanda. According
to the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF), alleged FDLR fighters
attacked aRwandan military base in March and crossed
the border to attack a police station in Bugeshi, Rubavu District,
Western Province, Rwanda, on April 15. FARDC accused
Rwandan forces of crossing the border in reaction to the attack,
which was denied by aRDF spokesman [→ DR Congo –
Rwanda]. iro
ETHIOPIA (OLF / OROMIYA)
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 1992
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
OLF vs. government
secession
The violent crisis over the secession of Oromiya region between
the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), its armed wing, the
Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), and the government, led by the
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)
continued.
Protests across Oromiya State against the so-called Master
Plan to expand the capital Addis Ababa into the region intensified,
due to concerns about further displacements oflocal
farmers [→ Ethiopia (opposition)]. The OLA continuously led
guerilla-style attacks on the military, accusing them of harassing
the people in Oromiya. The majority of fighting occurred
in Eastern and Western Hararghe Zones.
On February 22, after demonstrations, the Agazi, a special
squad of the army shot dead two protesters and allegedly injured
several others in Nekemte, western Oromiya. On February
25, the OLF claimed that the military had transferred
troops to eastern Oromyia and had relocated its paramilitary