>>528536342
Despite the funny image, what lies behind them is a story of heroism. Why, you might ask? It just so happens to be the case that in 2012, there was a rebellion in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by ethnic Tutsi (there is also another group of Tutsi called Banyamulenge but these guys live in South Kivu). This is the M23 or March 23 group. Backed by Rwanda and Uganda, they swept over Eastern Congo with ease. Their force was so dominating, the DRC troops fled without even seeing the enemy. The base here in question, Rumangabo Military Training College, lied just 30 km North of the major city of Goma and was supposedly staffed with 2,500 men.
2498 fled.
So when the Al Jazeera crew rolled up to the base to see first hand what was going on, they discovered these two, poor and disheveled as they were, still staying behind. They had no support, no supply, no heavy weapons, and it was doubtful anybody knew they were there. But they stayed, maintaining their post while trying their best to appear like the military men they were.
Goma fell to the rebels in November 2012, four months after this picture was taken. The base was overrun; no news were heard of this duo.