The East African Standby Force (EASF) will conduct a Command Post Exercise in Adama, Ethiopia this week as it winds up preparations to confront negative elements in the region especially the Uganda rebel group – Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and genocide militia- FDLR.
The 9-day training exercise starts on Thursday.
Officials said the exercise will aim at putting into operation a multidimensional Mission Headquarters in planning, preparation and execution of special military operations.
“The main objective is to practice the training audience in the integrated mission planning, command, control and execution of a complex peace support operation. The Exercise will provide an opportunity for EASF to validate its readiness for Full Operational Capability (FOC),” the new force said in a brief statement seen by Chimpreports on Tuesday.
“EASF has ten active Member States which have shown great commitment to own and to support the Exercise by participating actively in the entire preparation and execution process. A total of two hundred and ninety nine (299) participants consisting of military, police and civilian components, are expected to participate.”
This website understands the Verification of Rwanda Pledged Forces and Capabilities to East African Standby Force (EASF) was conducted on November 6 at Kami Barracks and Rwanda National Police Headquarters respectively.
The team headed by EASF Director, Ambassador Ismail Chanfi and EASF Brigade Commander, Brig Gen Kabisa Domitien inspected the troops as well as all their equipment, including armoured fighting vehicles, medical facilities, a mobile military kitchen, and others.
The group also inspected the readiness at Police headquarters where they verified the Formed Police Unit and equipment.
The Rwanda pledged force for the EASF consists of 1 Motorised Battalion, One level 2 Hospital, 15 military observers, 1 Formed Up Police Unit of 140 Police Officers,100 Individual Police Officers and 47 civilians.
Ambassador Ismail Chanfi said that “I am more than satisfied and can confirm that the pledged force from Rwanda is a reality”.
Brig Gen Domitien Kabisa, said that EASF is ready to combat the negative forces threatening the security of the region. The negative forces include FDLR, ADF NALU, Al Shabab among others.
The ADF last month killed scores of civilians and children in fresh attacks in Beni while FDLR slaughtered 13 people early this month, sparking off international outrage and calls to expedite the formation of the EASF to address the security challenges in the region.
The FDLR, whose leadership and ideology led to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, was given up to January 2014 to disarm, demobilise and surrender all weapons or face military action.
EASF ten member countries pledged about six thousand total force and equipment ready to deploy by December this year.
Source: http://chimpreports.com/east-africa-force-ready-for-adf-fdlr/
