United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where fierce fighting raged as Kigali-backed fighters closed in on the major city of Goma.
Rwandan-backed rebels moved to tighten their grip on the strategic city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday in what Kinshasa described as “a declaration of war” by its neighbour.
Rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo are closing in on a key city in the mineral-rich region aided by neighboring Rwanda’s army, the head of a peacekeeping mission told United Nations Security Council members during an emergency meeting on Sunday.
The Congolese army and peacekeepers are trying to stop an M23 advance on Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
Residents in eastern Congo’s largest city of Goma are fleeing after Rwanda-backed rebels claimed to have captured the regional hub from Congolese forces.
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.
Congo has severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda as fighting involving Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese forces intensifies near Goma. Accusations fly between nations, with the UN and Congolese government citing Rwanda's support of rebels.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, accompanied by Rwandan forces, advanced on Goma, a regional hub for security and humanitarian operations, this week
She described the move as “a frontal aggression, a declaration of war, which no longer hides itself behind diplomatic manoeuvres”. Her comments came as M23 rebels, who have vowed to defence Tutsi interests,
M23 fighters have been pressing to capture strategic eastern city for months and intensified offensives in recent days.
Heavy artillery fire could be heard in Goma on Monday, hours after Rwandan troops and fighters from the M23 rebel group entered the capital of North Kivu Province. The UN has warned of a looming crisis.