Suspected M23 rebel arrested in Uganda with two guns

Security officials in Kisoro District in western Uganda have recovered two SMG rifles from a suspected M23 rebel who claimed to be a Burundian national following his arrest on Wednesday.

The Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Peter Mugisha confirmed the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of the two guns but declined to give details of the suspect due to fears that it could jeopardize security investigations.

“The operation was mounted by the police and army officers in Kisoro town around the bus terminal. Two SMG rifles with 30 rounds of ammunition each, were recovered from a suspected M23 rebel who was trying to enter into one of the Kampala-bound buses. The suspect told the security team that he sneaked into Uganda through a porous border point around Basanza Sub County in Kisoro District, although he did not mention the motive of smuggling guns into Uganda,” Mr Peter Mugisha said.

Security officials were still interrogating the suspect by the time of filing this report, according to the RDC.

The arrest comes one week after M23 rebels raided the Congolese government security bases in Rutshuru District forcing hundreds of Congolese nationals to flee into Uganda through Bunagana border post in Kisoro District.

Mr Mugisha said they had deployed a security team to thoroughly check the luggage of passengers before they are loaded into the buses and other public transport vehicles.

He appealed to residents to report any armed foreigner seen in their communities to  the security officials and also be vigilant.

“Because of the bomb blasts in Kampala, we have also stepped up security at our border posts with Rwanda (Chyanika) and the Democratic Republic of Congo at Bunagana to ensure that wrong elements do not enter our country undetected,” Mr Mugisha said.