UN intervention brigade on patrols in DR Congo's North Kivu province

KINSHASA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The UN intervention brigade is on patrols around the town of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), according to the military spokesman for the UN Mission for Stabilization of Congo (MONUSCO), Felix Prosper Basse.

Addressing the UN Mission's weekly press conference in Kinshasa on Wednesday, Basse said the patrols are meant to reassure the population that the armed groups are not in the town despite their repeated threats.

He said 68 percent of officers under MONUSCO's intervention brigade had already been deployed on the ground in North Kivu and were involved in daily patrol operations.

Basse noted that the patrols are not only meant for ensuring dominance on the ground and obtaining crucial intelligence information, but also for launching offensive actions in case of a confrontation with the enemy forces.

"MONUSCO on its part will continue carrying out intensive aerial and ground patrols in North-Kivu to prevent any human rights violations and ensure protection of the civilian population, " the MONUSCO spokesman said.

"The intervention brigade will relentlessly carry out unilateral operations against armed groups, including M23, to prevent them from reaching the town of Goma," he affirmed.

We Recommend:
U.S. presidents and their pets	Highlights of 50th Int'l Paris Air Show	Best photos of week (June 17 - June 23)
Venezuelan Army School boat visits Cuba	Afghan refugees at UNHCR registration center	Beauty contest held in Budapest, Hungary
Angelina Jolie visits refugee camp	'Super moon' hangs in the sky over Rotterdam	LA' Chinatown sets up statue of Bruce Lee