Rumangabo

Rumangabo is a military base of the Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo located north of Goma in Nord-Kivu province. Three and a half kilometres south of the military base is the headquarters of the Virunga National Park.

On October 7, 2008, it was captured from the Congolese Army by members of Laurent Nkunda's faction, the National Congress for the Defense of the People. On the 10th, Nkunda's forces were persuaded by MONUC to withdraw from the military base. The fighting severely threatened the lives of the rangers at the nearby park station.

Again on October 26, it was again captured by rebels. They are further advancing both in north and south axis toward Rutshuru and Goma.

At Mobutu Time, the strategic base of Rumangabo was occupied by the 411th Chinese trained commandos of the 41st Bde Cdo. It was among the harder strongholds that AFDL troops under Kabila and Supported by Rwanda faced prior to advancing through the DRC. I quit recall that the Rumangabo based unit was among the Zairian Troops that, earlier 1984 went to defend the Tchad Auzi strip, against Ghadaffi's troops. Further some of the "Kadogo" of the AFDL confirmed that thosed elements were strong enough. "Kadogo=Child Soldier"