Mindouli Incident Raises New Security Concerns
A recent armed altercation erupted in Mindouli, in the Pool Department, involving a unit from the Presidential Security Directorate (DGSP) and a faction described as former Ninja combatants. This episode has quickly reignited concerns in a region that has already experienced painful instability.
During a press conference in Brazzaville, a departmental advisor denounced the incident and stated he felt personally concerned about what it could trigger. He presented the situation as a warning sign, asserting that the Pool should not be dragged into a new cycle of violence.
His message was framed as both political and civic. As the country heads towards a presidential election in the coming weeks, he emphasized that instability in the Pool would be a dangerous path with no beneficial outcome for residents or the nation.
Call for Pool Elites to Take Responsibility
At the heart of this appeal was a demand for involvement from prominent figures and natives of the Pool. He argued that those with influence, networks, and authority have a particular responsibility “before history” to help prevent escalation and ease tensions on the ground.
He urged officials to deploy all possible efforts with the former combatants mentioned in the incident, aiming to calm tensions. His approach, as described, favored dialogue and persuasion over public confrontation, while insisting on a collective duty to protect daily life in the department.
“The Pool Department is becoming a real headache for the country in terms of violence,” he stated, while noting that the government has taken steps to preserve peace. He called on the elites of the Pool – ministers, parliamentarians, diplomats, military officers, politicians, journalists, and legal professionals – to go to the field and promote the values of peace.
In the same statement, he compared the strong mobilization often seen during political events with what he described as insufficient mobilization for peace promotion. The question, for him, was why the same energy should not be invested when social tranquility and public security are under pressure.
Government’s Public Order Measures Cited as Framework
The Mindouli episode was linked to the enforcement of security and public order measures implemented by the DGSP, which, he clarified, were taken under the authority of President Denis Sassou N’Guesso. According to his explanation, the goal of these measures is to guarantee peace across the entire national territory.
The advisor insisted that state rules and security policies should be applied uniformly in all departments. He posed a direct question: if measures are enforced rigorously elsewhere in the Republic of Congo, why should the Pool be treated differently or become an exception in practice?
Stability and Elections: A Call for Calm on the Ground
Although the details of the sequence of events in Mindouli were not elaborated, his remarks reflected a concern about how quickly local incidents can take on broader political significance. In the Pool, where memories of past unrest remain vivid, rumors and fear can spread faster than verified information.
His press conference thus served as a reminder that elections are best approached in an atmosphere of calm, predictable administration, and open civic space. His public intervention aimed to discourage any drift towards confrontation and push influential actors towards preventive action.
By emphasizing the “consciousness-raising” of the population, he highlighted a softer instrument of security policy: community communication, trusted voices, and local mediation. The underlying premise was that restoring trust requires more than force; it also needs a shared narrative that peace remains the priority.
Operation “Zero Kuluna” Praised in Urban Security Debate
Beyond the Pool, Operation “Zero Kuluna,” presented as a response to rising urban banditry, was also praised. It was described as widely appreciated by the population and its results are visible across the country.
This praise placed the discussion on Mindouli within the framework of a broader public order agenda, where authorities aim to reduce violence in both rural hotspots and major cities. For many residents, daily security is measured by concrete changes in neighborhoods, transport corridors, and local markets.
From this perspective, preventing unrest in the Pool and fighting urban crime are part of the same national effort: protecting public life and maintaining the stability of the Republic of Congo. The delivered message was clear – peace is a shared responsibility, and it must be actively defended.