Rebelles conquer the key town in the Congo, almost 3,000 deaths

Rebelles conquer the key town in the Congo, almost 3,000 deaths

Almost 3,000 people are, according to the United Nations in the city goma Democratic Republic of Congo died. This number has been so highly valued by rebels in the past few days after the city has conquered the Congolese army.

The situation in Goma

Vivian van de Perre, deputy head of the UN mission in the DR Congo, reported on Wednesday that "so far 2,000 corpses have been collected in the streets of Goma, and 900 corpses are still located in the corpses of the Goma Hospitals." She added: "We expect this number to increase. There are still many decaying bodies in certain areas."

Humanitarian crisis and ceasefire

The rescue of the corpses takes place after the rebel coalition Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), which also includes the armed group M23, a Waffenruhe from Tuesday "in response to the humanitarian crisis, which was caused by the regime in Kinshasa". The government described the ceasefire on Tuesday as "wrong communication", while according to UN reports, violent fights in the province of South Kivu were still reported.

causes of violence

The DR Congo, a country with more than 100 million inhabitants, has been suffering from violence for decades, which is caused by ethnic tensions and struggles for access to the country and the state treasures, which results in one of the greatest humanitarian crises worldwide. The United States, the Congo and UN experts accuse the neighboring Rwanda of supporting M23, which is largely made of ethnic tutsis, which was renegade by the Congolese army more than a decade ago.

rwanda's role

The Rwandian government denies the allegations, but has recognized that it has stationed troops and rocket systems in the eastern Congo to ensure their security. Rwanda's President Paul Kagame told CNN on Monday that he did not know whether Rwandic military forces were in the Congo, but said that his country would do everything necessary to protect himself.

Current developments

Since 2022, M23, which defends the interests of minorities, including the Tutsi, has a new uprising against the Congolese government and has occupied a large area in North-Kivu that borders on Rwanda and Uganda. The province, the capital of which is Goma, is rich in rare minerals, including great occurrences of Coltan, which is crucial for the production of cell phones and computers.

forte fights report

van de Perre expressed on Wednesday that the UN hope that the ceasefire would hold, but this does not seem to be the case, since battles are still reported along a main street towards the provincial capital Bukavu. "In Bukavu, the tensions rise, while M23 is approaching 50 km north of the city," she said, describing the situation in the province of South Kivu as "particularly worrying".

future threats

rebel groups seem to be gaining ground in the mineral -rich eastern region and have taken a city 100 kilometers from Bukavu. Van de Perre expressed that the UN was "seriously concerned" about the loss of the Kavumu airport in Bukavu, which was crucial for civilian and humanitarian use in South Kivu.

insights into the rebel jobs

The rebel alliance previously emphasized that he has no intention to take Bukavu or other areas into which many displaced persons have fled from Goma. "However, we confirm our commitment to protect and defend the civilian population and our positions," said the rebels. In the past few weeks, the rebels in the country's eastern province have recorded several territorial profits, and the group leader has declared that they want to take other cities, including the capital of Kinshasa.

future developments

Kinshasa is about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) from Goma, on the western border of the huge country. AFC spokesman Victor Tesongo said on Friday that the rebels are working on setting up "a new administration" in Goma and further penetrating to South Kivu and Kinshasa. The M23 leader Corneille Nangaa said in an interview with Rwandic media that the goal of his group was "to get to Kinshasa."

"We will fight until we reach Kinshasa. We have come to Goma to stay; we will not withdraw. We will progress from Goma to Bukavu ... to Kinshasa," he said.

in Goma said van de Perre that the rebel group consolidates control over the city and the areas already conquered in North-Kivu. The Congolese government has not confirmed the takeover by the rebels, but recognized its presence in Goma. Last week a new military governor was appointed North Kivu, which was described by the Congolese military as a "state of siege".

The humanitarian crisis intensifies

"We stay under crew (in Goma). The situation is still extremely volatile with a continuing risk of escalation," said Van de Perre on Wednesday. "All exit routes from Goma are under their control, and the airport, which is also under M23 control, is closed until further notice." She added: "The escalating violence has led to immense human suffering, displacement and a growing humanitarian crisis." Almost 2,000 civilians are looking for protection in UN peacekeeping camps in Goma, she reported.

This article was created with the participation of CNN journalists Larry Madowo, Eve Brennan and Nimi Princewill.

Kommentare (0)