NEWS– The United Nations Security Council has said that it was concerned by the escalating violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and condemned the offensive launched this month by M23 rebels near Goma.
The UN concern comes after clashes intensified recently between the M23 rebels which the most strongest among dozens of armed groups roaming the country’s troubled eastern territorial parts fighting against the Congolese National Army.
The Democratic Republic of Congo the United Nations and Western countries claim that Rwanda is supporting the rebels in a bid to control vast mineral resources in the area, but this allegation has been denied by the Kigali government.
According to a statement read by Guyana Ambassador Ms Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, the United Nations Council members, who met to discuss the issue today, reiterated their condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country and expressed concern about the escalation of violence and a sustained tension in the region.
The UN Council members also specifically condemned the M23 offensive,that launched February 7th, and they reiterated their full support to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The M23 has seized vast swaths of North Kivu province since emerging from dormancy in late 2021, in an area wracked by violence for decades following regional wars in the 1990s and the most recent flare-up has pushed thousands of civilians to flee the town of Sake, on the route toward Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
According to a UN document, the Rwandan Army is using sophisticated weapons such as surface-to-air missiles to support M23 and according to confidential reports, the suspected Rwandan Defense Force mobile surface-to-air missile was fired at a UN observation drone last week without hitting it.
The United Nations Peacekeeping forces have been in Congo for nearly 25 years, but stand accused of failing to protect civilians from armed groups which led to the UN Security Council in December last year to vote and accede to Kinshasa’s demand for a pullout despite the volatile situation.
Additional Reporting by Associated Press.
