Congo’s government dismissed a unilateral ceasefire declared by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels as “false communication,” insisting that only their withdrawal would end the violence. The rebels announced the pause on humanitarian grounds, citing urgent pleas for safe aid passage amid hundreds of thousands of displaced people. However, heavy fighting continues in South Kivu, with United Nations reports confirming clashes between M23 fighters and Congolese forces. The M23, bolstered by approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops, seized control of Goma—a city of 2 million and a region rich in mineral wealth—and are reported to be advancing on other strategic areas. Meanwhile, Congo’s interior minister claimed that last week’s fighting resulted in 2,000 deaths, with mass graves of massacre victims attributed to the Rwandan occupation army. Regional leaders are set to meet in Tanzania to discuss the crisis, while locals desperately call for an end to the violence.
Source: AP