UGANDA HANDS OVER CONGOLESE TROOPS

The government of Uganda yesterday handed over five hundred ninety eight Congolese troops who sought refuge last week back to their country.

The Congolese soldiers who escaped the advances of the M23 rebels that took over Bunagana border post crossed into Kisoro district last Friday but were transferred to Kasese for safety. Their weapons were also handed back to their country.

Also handed back were forty one police officers, thirty five civilian women and thirty three children. Eleven casualties are still undergoing medication in Kisoro hospital.

They were received by Mr. Jean Piere Massala the Congolese ambassador to Uganda and Col. Eric Ruhorimbere from Kinshasa.

The handover ceremony held at Rusese barracks in Isango sub-county a few kilometers to the Mpondwe border post was presided over by the Kasese Resident District Commissioner Lt. Milton Odongo who said that Uganda is maintaining the spirit of good neighborhood with the DRC.

Lt. Odongo said that Uganda as a neighbor to the DRC has expressed good working relations by accepting refugees and soldiers who were running away from the mutineers of the M23 rebels led by renegade Bosco Ntaganda.

The RDC also urged the DR Congo government to impress the bilateral relations between the two countries and should attack Ugandan enemies like the ADF who are regrouping across the border.

He said that the Ugandan government is ready to send troops across the border to hunt down the ADF remnants if allowed by Congolese authorities.

Mr. Jean Piere Massala commended the Ugandan government for the hospitality showed to the Congolese in their time of trouble and promised more working relations between Kinshasa and Kampala.

The UN chief of security in Eastern DRC Saleh Mahboob hailed Ugandan for providing food, transport, and medical care to the Congolese troops during their stay in the country.

Mahboob also urged Uganda to continue taking care of the refugees that continue to cross the borders every time fighting in eastern DR Congo escalates.

The function was also attended by the 2^nd Division Commander Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, Kasese district chairman Lt. Col. Mawa Muhindo and district police commander Goerge Abaho among others.

ENDS