(3 Minutes Read)
The U.N. described a mass panic among Goma’s 2 million residents and Congo’s government said the rebel advance was a “declaration of war”.
Dozens of Congolese army soldiers fled into the Rwandan border town of Rubavu on Monday, where they surrendered their weapons and were processed by Rwandese border officials.
It follows an advance by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who claimed they had captured the eastern city of Goma early Monday. Gunshots rang out across Goma overnight before dozens of rebels in military uniform marched into the city early Monday morning.
The U.N. described a mass panic among Goma’s 2 million residents and Congo’s government said the rebel advance was a “declaration of war”.
Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative, said China called on the March 23 (M23)Movement to strictly adhere to the ceasefire agreement, stop using force, withdraw from occupied areas, and return to a political solution. Any external force should refrain from providing military support to armed groups such as the March 23 Movement in order to avoid exacerbating the situation.”
A short while earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres directly addressed Kigali, urging Rwanda to withdraw its troops and cease its support for the M23. France, through President Emmanuel Macron, also condemned the M23 offensives. He called for an immediate return to the ceasefire and the security of civilian populations.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/people-fleeing-goma-region-continues-as-m23-makes-considerable-gains/
In response to this escalation, Kenyan President William Ruto, head of the East African Community, has called for an extraordinary summit. This crucial meeting will bring together regional leaders, including Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame.
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Danish
English
French
Hindi
Italian
Norwegian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Swedish