By Canisius Mushibwe
In a bid to aid the army in fighting an armed group linked to ISIL (ISIS) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), President Felix Tshisekedi has allowed the deployment of American special forces to the country.
In a statement released on Sunday, President Tshisekedi confirmed the authorization to deploy American antiterrorism experts.
The US forces will strengthen the Congolese army’s battle against Allied Democratic forces (ADF) in the national parks of Virunga and Garamba.
ADF is an armed group of militias considered to be the deadliest among various terrorist groups which have been causing havoc in DRC for quite some time now.
It is believed that the group has slain over 6000 civilians within a period of eight years while indulging in other atrocities in the region.
According to the statement, US Ambassador Mike Hammer, when presenting the US troops to the Congolese President said their presence is part of a 2019 partnership between the two countries.
The US State Department said the ADF is notorious across the region as extreme violence against Congolese citizens and regional military forces has been witnessed from the militia group.
It has further sanctioned alleged leader Seka Musa Baluku and has confirmed that ADF has been affiliated with ISIL since 2019.
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