Rebels seize additional territory in eastern DR Congo
M23 rebels take control of more land in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, worsening the humanitarian situation
According to locals and authorities, M23 rebels took control of further land in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Thursday, worsening the humanitarian situation there as fighting continues for a third day in a row.
According to a UN report released on Wednesday, “more than 100,000” people have been displaced this week due to war, mostly from the North Kivu province’s Nyanzale area. This region has seen a large inflow of displaced people; it is home to around 80,000 locals and tens of thousands of people who had previously fled past unrest.
To make matters worse, the M23 insurrection, commanded by Tutsis, has taken control of the town of Kibirizi, which is around thirty kilometers northeast of Nyanzale. An administrative official verified that after fighting army soldiers and pro-government militia groups, the rebels seized Kibirizi.
A neighbor from Kanyayonga, Gervais Kambale, confirmed the widespread displacement and said that many are escaping the violence by moving north. “We have never seen so many,” Kambale said, emphasizing how urgent the issue is.
He continued by saying that temporary welcome centers have been established to house the displaced people, many of whom do not presently have access to sufficient shelter or assistance.
The M23 sometimes referred to as the March 23 Movement, launched an onslaught on Monday against many communities around 70 kilometers away from Goma, the province seat, expanding its sphere of influence into the Rutshuru and Masisi regions. Furthermore, there were also reports of intermittent fighting on Thursday in Sake, which is about 20 kilometers to the west of Goma.
Civilian deaths have occurred from the intensification of hostilities; witnesses and medical sources claim that at least 15 people, including children, were killed in Nyanzale on Monday as a consequence of artillery assaults on residential areas.
Following eight years of inactivity, the M23 rebellion returned in late 2021 and took control of large areas of North Kivu. This effectively cut off all land access to Goma, the provincial capital, except for the road leading to the Rwandan border, which the rebels took control of in early February.
Source: AFP
