The Rwanda-backed rebels who seized the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have declared a unilateral ceasefire starting on Tuesday.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo, a coalition of militias including M23, declared the ceasefire “in response to humanitarian crisis”, said a communique posted on platform X.
The alliance added that it had no intention of capturing Bukavu, South Kivu's provincial capital, after it seized Congo's largest eastern city of Goma last week.
The M23, which is made up of ethnic Tutsis, say they are fighting for the rights of their minority group, while DR Congo's government says the Rwanda-backed rebels are seeking to exploit the eastern region's vast mineral wealth.
On Monday the UN said at least 700 people died in last week’s fighting between the rebels and Congolese forces. The World Health Organization warns that healthcare facilities are struggling to cope with a surge in casualties, alongside patients suffering from multiple endemic diseases, including mpox, cholera, malaria and measles, which increase the risk of infectious diseases’ transmission. The World Food Programme reported that the violence had severely damaged essential infrastructure, including water, electricity, and communication networks.
Read next
15:11
M23
The M23 rebel group intensified its offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on Monday, pushing closer to the territorial capital of Walikale, according to local media reports.
14:41
Virtual Summit
Southern African leaders gathered virtually on Thursday to address the intensifying conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), focusing on both the deteriorating security situation and the performance of the SADC mission in the region.
20:16
The Democratic Republic of Congo has announced a $5 million reward for the capture of three leaders of the Congo River Alliance, including M23 commanders, as the government intensifies its efforts to combat the Rwandan-backed rebels seizing large portions of eastern DR Congo.
15:15
Germany
Germany announced on Tuesday that it is stopping new development aid to Rwanda and reviewing its existing commitments, citing concerns over Rwanda’s role in the conflict in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
11:17
As Rwanda-backed M23 rebels make significant territorial gains in eastern Congo, the U.N. Security Council has met in an urgent session, warning of the risk of a wider regional war.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment