The SAAF Forum

I'd really like to see a "who's who" summary of the alphabet soup of armed groups in the area, perhaps with a brief assessment of their status and capabilities for causing trouble.

The group that particularly interests me is the psychopathic LRA. They seem to resemble the West Side Boys of Sierra Leone in the sheer insanity of their leadership and their tactics that resemble a horror movie script rather than rational guerille warfare.

LRA is prety much gone.

Interestingly enough, South Africa's Eeben Barlow (formerly of EO) was apparently responsible in no small way for the LRA's defeats as he was hired to take a group of trainers to Uganda to train the UPDF in COIN warfare. The difference was apparently remarkable.

Why don't we set up a thread to list, discuss and classify the different armed groups?

Eben Barlow is a meneer.

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

Thought I'd share this vid of FARDC engaging M23 yesterday, as it highlights the stuff I spoke about in my article. Note how, unlike the FARDC soldiers of the past, these guys are firing selectively, using cover well, moving effectively as squads, aiming carefully and have well-maintained personal kit. It really highlights the improvement of the past 12 months.


Plus, the footage of a T-55 firing is epic.

Darren how does one imbed Youtube videos here, I tried in another topic and couldn't get it right?

click the youtube i button then on the youtube page there will be a then copy everything after th =

aka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QlHhGfLC8I you now copy 6QlHhGfLC8I in between the [youtube][/youtube]

and you will get




found this on all the diffrent armed groups


http://www.irinnews.org/report/99037/br ... astern-drc

See page two of the updated How to add photos and video to your post thread

The fat lady is yet to sing, IMO m23 retreated in good form keeping it's supply lines open in line with the guerrilla playbook. Sans the UN doing all the heavy lifting FARDC cannot militarily defeat m23 at all levels from tactical to strategic so the underlying equation remains unchanged .

According to the article rolling back but not destroying m23 took a synchronized three front assault by technically and numerically overwhelming UN FARDC forces commanded by competent aggressive UN commanders. Since FIB cannot also neutralize threats to countries bordering Eastern DRC and FARDC is especially bad at garrison duty, when the assault ends m23 will return.

M23 gave up heavly fortfied bases and were pushed back in to rwanda. If they return it will be proff of rwanda proving support to them since they no longer hold any bases in the DRC. They all so sopasdly abdondod a number of heavy wepaons(aaa guns, arty extra) so this was a retreat not a withdrawl.



Has a fighting force M23 is done. They may remian but they will never be the threat they where. Many of the members surrenderd to the UN to.

Never say never until the armistice is signed and sealed and not even that is a guarantee that peace will erupt. In another threat under the SAAF forum it is reported that M23 shot at a SAAF Puma over the weekend!

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Stay foolish; stay hungry

Puma? O you mean orxy

That incident was a couple of weeks ago, the same week that M23 fired on a Ukrainian Mi-8.

And yes, this is not yet the end or a complete victory, just a very encouraging start. Lots of work for the FIB, MONUSCO and FARDC to still do, but at least they now know it's possible.

Interesting to see the good use being made of Main Battle Tanks by the FARDC. By the looks of things the SA Army won't have a deployable MBT capability any time soon.

The Royal Navy has developed a bit of a trend lately to induct warships 'fitted for, but not with' certain capabilities. e.g. the Daring class destroyers entering service without an anti-ship missile capability.

The SANDF has Rooivalk 'fitted for but not with' anti tank missiles. And the SA Army, with 1 SA Tank Regiment, basically only being able to practice once a year during Exercise Seboka due to lack of funding. Fitted for but not with deployable Main Battle Tanks.

A single troop of SA tanks could have given the FIB a potent capability, especially given the lack of Rooivalk anti tank missiles.

Logistics I wager, imagine moving MBTs from RSA to Eastern DRC and then back again, the Rooikat fits the bill perfectly no need for tank transporters, ARVs etc. OTH the Rooivalk Mokopa delay is less understandable given it began before the Seeker UAV. I personally think deployment of an armed reaper like MALE UAV would be the most potent threat to m23.



M23 hasn't tapped out yet and the phase were FARDC UN bungle it has began, like before both will fail to pacify threats to bordering countries FDLR LRA etc. For Rwanda this means a possible repeat of the genocide for Uganda reignition of the southern religious/ethnic war and for everyone else insecurity and refugees. To this add FARDC usual indiscipline,corruption and ethnic drama that began all this.

M23 solves a whole cache of otherwise combustible problems, having retreated rather fought it is command rank intact and still heavily backed, unlike say RENAMO so expect the cycle will repeat yet again.