UN Security Council concerned about ‘escalating violence’ in eastern DR Congo

The UN Security Council said it was concerned by "escalating violence" in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, condemning in a statement the offensive launched earlier...

0

The UN Security Council said it was concerned by “escalating violence” in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, condemning in a statement the offensive launched earlier this month by M23 rebels near the city of Goma.

Clashes have intensified recently between the M23 — among the strongest of dozens of armed groups roaming the country’s troubled east — and the Congolese army.

The DRC, the UN and Western countries say Rwanda is supporting the rebels in a bid to control vast mineral resources, an allegation Kigali denies.

People carry some of their belongings as they flee the Masisi territory following clashes between M23 rebels and government forces, at a road near Sake on February 7, 2024. – Conflict between M23 rebels and government forces is intensifying in eastern DR Congo’s Masisi territory, residents said on February 7, 2024 after days of unrest that have left dozens injured. Tensions in Masisi have displaced residents of many villages and overwhelmed health centres, according to humanitarian sources. (Photo by Aubin Mukoni / AFP)

Council members, who met Monday to discuss the issue, “reiterated their condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country. They expressed concern about the escalation of violence and a sustained tension in the region,” according to a statement read by Guyana ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

Council members also specifically “condemned the M23 offensive,” launched February 7, Rodrigues-Birkett said.

“They reiterated their full support to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the DRC.”

The M23 has seized vast swaths of North Kivu province since emerging from dormancy in late 2021, in an area wracked by violence for decades following regional wars in the 1990s.

The most recent flare-up has pushed thousands of civilians to flee the town of Sake, on the route towards Goma, capital of North Kivu province.

According to a UN document seen by AFP earlier on Monday, the Rwandan army is using sophisticated weapons such as surface-to-air missiles to support M23.

A “suspected Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM)” was fired at a UN observation drone last Wednesday without hitting it, the confidential report said.

UN forces have been in DRC for nearly 25 years, but stand accused of failing to protect civilians from armed groups.

The UN Security Council voted in December to accede to Kinshasa’s demand for a pullout despite the volatile situation.

In this article

East Africa Premier News Source with Top Stories, Special Features and more.
Uncensored & Undaunted