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GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — M23 rebels within the Democratic Republic of Congo have seized the jap border city of Bunagana, native activists mentioned on Monday, sending greater than 30,000 civilians fleeing into neighboring Uganda.
The seize of Bunagana marked a significant setback for Congolese forces who mentioned a day earlier that they had the insurgents on the run.
The United Nations and African Union voiced alarm concerning the mounting violence in a area the place conflicts within the Nineties and 2000s price hundreds of thousands of lives, largely from illness and starvation, and spawned dozens of militias that stay lively to this present day.
Bunagana was an M23 stronghold throughout a 2012 riot that briefly overran the most important metropolis of Goma earlier than Congolese and UN forces chased the rebels into neighboring Rwanda and Uganda the next yr.
The workplace of North Kivu’s army governor mentioned on Sunday that Congolese forces had “routed” the M23 following early-morning assaults close to Bunagana, which is among the fundamental crossings into Uganda.
However Jean-Baptise Twizere, the president of an area civil society group, mentioned the city fell to the rebels on Sunday evening.
“Congolese troopers who discovered themselves encircled by enemies in Bunagana couldn’t do something and since 11 p.m. they’ve left the town,” he advised Reuters on Monday from Bunagana.
Edgard Mateso, the vp of an advocacy group in North Kivu province, confirmed the M23 takeover.
Basic Sylvain Ekenge, the spokesman for North Kivu’s army authorities, mentioned he didn’t but have any data.
‘Determined state of affairs’
The combating prompted greater than 30,000 Congolese asylum seekers and 137 Congolese troopers to cross into Uganda on Monday, Shaffiq Sekandi, Uganda’s resident district commissioner for Kisoro district, advised Reuters.
“They’re throughout, the streets are full, others have gone to church buildings, they’re underneath bushes, all over the place. It’s a extremely determined state of affairs,” he mentioned.
The United Nations had beforehand mentioned that 25,000 individuals fled the violence on Sunday.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres mentioned he was involved about deteriorating safety in jap Congo, together with M23 assaults. The area has seen near-constant battle since Rwanda and Uganda invaded twice within the Nineties.
African Union Fee Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat known as for a direct cessation of hostilities and for talks between Congo and Rwanda to resolve a rising diplomatic disaster.
Congolese authorities on Sunday renewed accusations that Rwanda has been backing the newest offensive by the M23, whose management hails from the identical Tutsi ethnic group as Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Rwanda has denied offering any help and accused Congo of collaborating with one other militia group based by ethnic Hutus who fled Rwanda after collaborating within the 1994 genocide. Congo denies this cost.
Through the 2012-2013 battle, Congo and UN investigators accused Rwanda and Uganda of supporting the M23, which they denied.
On Monday, two senior Congolese safety sources, who requested to not be named, additionally accused the Ugandan army of supporting the M23’s offensive.
Twizere mentioned he had seen Ugandan troops cross the border to dam the Congolese military’s entry to Bunagana.
Uganda’s military spokesman Brigadier Felix Kulayigye denied any involvement. “We’re solely intently watching what’s happening from throughout the border and we’ve been in that place for months,” he mentioned.
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