Rebels Progress in Democratic Republic of Congo Announce Cease-Fire
The World Health Organization reported that the death toll from the recent fighting in the city of Goma, which was captured by rebels last week, has now reached 900.
Rwanda-backed rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have announced a unilateral cease-fire for humanitarian reasons.
The Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebels, stated that they do not plan to take Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, after capturing Goma last week.
According to M23 rebel spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka, “We have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas, but remain committed to protecting and defending civilians and our positions.”
This marks a shift in M23’s stance, as they had previously indicated their intention to march on Kinshasa, the capital.
The death toll in the Goma fighting has now risen to 900, with almost 2,900 people injured, as reported by the World Health Organization.
The rebels have announced that the cease-fire will begin on Tuesday and have requested a safe corridor for food aid for the displaced population in Goma.
North Kivu is a region with significant mineral wealth, including coltan essential for cellphone production.
Kenya’s President William Ruto confirmed that a summit this week will be attended by the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, and Rwanda, Paul Kagame.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries have called on Rwanda, the M23, and the DR Congo government to return to negotiations.
M23 is one of many armed groups in the region competing for control of the mineral-rich eastern Congo.
Rwanda denies allegations of deploying troops to support the M23 rebels and asserts its openness to dialogue to resolve the conflict within the framework of previous agreements.
Accusations have been made against the DR Congo government from Rwanda and the rebels for failing to honor past agreements.
M23 was established in 2012 following a failed attempt to integrate ethnic Tutsis who had split from the Congolese army.
They claim to be protecting Tutsis in Congo from discrimination and have targeted the Congolese government in their actions.
After a period of inactivity, M23 resurfaced in late 2021, citing the government’s failure to fulfill commitments to integrate Tutsis into the army and administration.
Rwanda alleges persecution of Tutsis by Hutus and accuses the DR Congo government and South Africa of supporting the FDLR, a group linked to the Rwandan genocide. The DR Congo military denies the claims.
Kagame expressed readiness for a confrontation with South Africa if necessary, following the death of thirteen South African troops near Goma last month.
The Associated Press and Reuters provided contributions to this report.