Congo chief vows action against Rwandan backed rebels
President of Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi said on January 29th that the army are mounting an intensive military response as Rwandan M23 fighters advance.
According to AfricaNews the rebels are advancing in the east of the country, capturing large area of the region in recent weeks, this includes a majority of the key city of Goma.
Kinshasa, the United Nations, the United States, and other Western powers said Rwandan forces are supporting the M23 in Goma, Rwanda denies these allegations.
Tshisekedi addressed the nation stating a “vigorous and coordinated response against these terrorists and their sponsors is underway”.
He also criticised the international community for their “inaction” in the face of an “unprecedented worsening of the security situation.”
The UN Security Council met on January 28th in order to discuss the worsening situation in the eastern DRC, demanding the M23 halt their offensive.
At the same time, the United Nations have warned that the M23 offensive could lead to the outbreak of war.
According to Maghrebi, this comes after the UN warned of escalating security in the region due to M23s occupation in December 2024.
Several countries, including the US, the United Kingdom, and France have spoken out against Rwanda for their rebel advance.
The Eastern parts of the DRC have historically been a site of violence and unrest, involving conflicts between armed groups that trace back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Tshisekedi did not attend an emergency virtual summit of the East African bloc (EAC) on January 29th, Rwandan President Paul Kagame was in attendance.
After the meeting, the regional heads of state called for an immediate ceasefire and for the conflict to be settled peacefully
Additionally, The East African leaders plan to hold a joint summit on the crisis between Southern African leaders.
Angola mediated a failed attempt at peace talks in December have called for the Congolese and Rwandan leaders to urgently meet.
AfricaNews, Maghrebi
