Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advance further into eastern Congo
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have advanced further into eastern Congo, reaching the outskirts of Walikale.
According to AfricaNews on March 20th, the advance occurred just a day after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda called for an immediate ceasefire.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire near Walikale’s Nyabangi neighborhood. An anonymous military source confirmed the rebels clashed with both Congolese soldiers and pro-government militias.
Walikale has a population of around 15,000 and is located in an especially mineral-rich region. The area is the furthest westward point the M23 rebels have reached thus far.
The rebels attack began as the presidents of Congo and Rwanda met on March 18th in Qatar to engage in their first direct peace talks, with both parties calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The M23 is just one of around 100 armed groups in competition for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, displacing over 7 million people.
U.N. experts have suggested the M23 rebels are supported by around 4,000 troops from Rwanda.
The United Nations has also repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in Congo.
The rebels have previously threatened to march as far as Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, which is about 1,000 miles to the west of the country.
In February, the U.N. Human Rights Council launched a commission that will investigate atrocities committed on both sides during the conflict, including allegations of rape and killing described as “summary executions.”
AfricaNews, Maghrebi, Reuters
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