Major General Somo Kakule Evariste
The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has promoted Brigadier General Somo Kakule Evariste to the rank of Major General, giving him the responsibility of leading North Kivu Province.
He replaces Major General Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, who was killed by M23 on January 24, 2025, during clashes between government forces and the group.
Major General Somo Kakule Evariste was previously the commander of the 31st Army Brigade in Kindu, Maniema Province, bordering North Kivu. He was a member of the FARDC Special Forces and fought against M23 in the Kanyabayonga area.
After the capture of Goma, M23 now controls more than a third of North Kivu Province, large parts of the territories of Walikale, Lubero and Beni and the surrounding towns are not under M23 control.
In Goma, where fierce fighting has taken place for the past two days, a ceasefire has been agreed and some government forces have accepted defeat and fled to Rwanda.
Countries such as the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and others have called for a ceasefire between the warring parties and the implementation of the Luanda talks. (End)