KAMPALA, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military on Friday announced that its troops are on high alert in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following recent attacks on regional peacekeepers.

Michael Walaka Hyeroba, the commander of the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) contingent under the auspices of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), urged his 1,000-strong troops to remain vigilant and be prepared to defend themselves in the event they come under attack, according to a statement issued in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

He made the remarks during an operational meeting with his commanding officers and soldiers in response to the rapidly changing security environment in the EACRF peacekeeping troops' area of operation in DRC's North Kivu province.

"We should ensure constant alertness and readiness to act anytime. Be ready to defend yourselves. If they attack, don't wait. The mandate gives us the right to self-defense," Hyeroba said.

The ceasefire agreement between the armed forces of DRC (FARDC) and the rebel group, March 23 Movement (M23), was breached after hostile clashes fatally wounded a Kenyan peacekeeper stationed at Kanyamahoro in North Kivu province on Oct. 24.

Hyeroba also urged his troops to ensure the protection of the local population under threat, support humanitarian actors in reaching the needy community, and contribute to the pacification and stabilization of the volatile region.

"The UPDF will support and work closely with FARDC in ensuring the total restoration of peace and stability through peaceful dialogue, as enshrined in the mandate approved by the East African Regional Heads of State Conclave on Peace and Security in eastern DRC, held in Nairobi in April 2022," Hyeroba said.

In 2022, the East African Community countries established a regional force to intervene in eastern DRC, particularly to halt the advance of the M23 rebel group. Enditem

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