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M23 rebels in DR Congo (DRC) have seized the japanese border city of Bunagana on Monday, the militia members and native activists stated.
In an announcement, the rebels appealed to DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to “seize this chance to place an finish to the violence attributable to this ineffective battle and to open direct negotiations with our motion.”
However the Congolese military stated the city had been taken by Rwanda as a result of the rebels, allegedly supported by Rwanda, have been struggling “huge setbacks.”
DR Congo has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23, whose management hails from the identical Tutsi ethnic group as Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
“The Rwandan protection forces have this time determined to violate … our territorial integrity by occupying the border city of Bunagana,” the navy stated in an announcement, describing the incident as “at least invasion of the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
Rwanda has not but made any feedback on the event, and has denied taking part in a task in any such current assaults. Congo’s authorities had damaged off negotiations with the M23 in April this yr.
DRC troopers, civilians flee to Uganda
Native activist stated the Congolese military “has simply given approach” and was shifting into Uganda, which borders each DRC and Rwanda.
“A military truck has simply gone previous, 4 jeeps and different autos that are stuffed with troopers,” Damien Sebusanane, head of a civil society affiliation, who was on Uganda’s border with the DRC, advised the AFP information company.
Shaffiq Sekandi, Uganda’s resident district commissioner for Kisoro district advised Reuters that the preventing triggered greater than 30,000 Congolese asylum seekers and 137 Congolese troopers to cross into Uganda on Monday.
“They’re throughout, the streets are full, others have gone to church buildings, they’re beneath bushes, in all places. It is a actually determined scenario,” he stated.
Dozens of law enforcement officials have been additionally stated to have surrendered to Ugandan troops.
The United Nations and African Union have voiced alarm about violence the area.
The UN had beforehand stated that 25,000 folks fled the violence on Sunday.
African Union Fee Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat known as for a right away cessation of hostilities and for talks between DR Congo and Rwanda.
Battle between Rwanda and DR Congo
Tensions have risen between the 2 neighboring international locations in current weeks, with accusations of strikes rife on either side.
Conflicts within the area in the Nineties and 2000s, and illness and starvation have led to hundreds of deaths within the area.
The M23, a primarily Congolese Tutsi militia, is one in all greater than 120 armed teams lively in japanese DRC. It briefly captured Goma in 2012, however a joint offensive by UN troops and the Congolese military quelled the rise up.
Rwanda denies supporting the M23. It accuses Congo of collaborating with one other militia group, the FDLR, based by ethnic Hutus who fled Rwanda after taking part within the 1994 genocide. Congo denies this cost.
tg/dj (AFP, AP, Reuters)
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