U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Congo’s M23 conflict could spiral into a wider regional war, as Congolese forces battle an advance by rebels near the largest city in eastern Congo and tens of thousands more flee.
Since the beginning of this year, fighting has intensified in Congo’s mineral-rich east as the Tutsi-led M23 group has taken control of more land than ever before.
The rebel Congo River Alliance, which includes M23 and is a part of the AFC, announced on Friday that they were planning to seize Goma, a provincial capital with over one million residents.
Congo and the U.N. accuse Rwanda, a neighboring country, of fueling the three-year insurgency with its troops and arms. However, Rwanda denies this.
On Thursday, U.N. spokeswoman Stephane Dujarric stated, “This offensive has taken a heavy toll on civilians and increased the risk of a broader regional conflict.”
Dujarric said that the Secretary-General had “called on all actors” to respect the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and its territorial integrity. He also called for an end to any form of support given to armed groups.
UNHCR, the U.N. agency for refugees, said that the number of civilians injured in the fighting has nearly reached the capacity of hospitals.
The rebels, after seizing Minova, moved on to Sake, a town located around 20 km (12 miles) away from Goma.
The Congolese government announced on Thursday that the army had defeated the advance of Sake through a counteroffensive.
The Ministry of Communications said, “The military authorities assured that all measures were being taken to secure and protect Goma and the surrounding areas.”
The U.N. condemned the “recent seizure” of Sake which increased the threat to the town of Goma.
On Friday morning, the situation in Sake remained unclear. Under the condition of anonymity and according to local sources, fighting is ongoing in Sake.
UNHCR reported that heavy bombardments forced families to flee to the city in search of shelter from nine sites near Goma. Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR spokesperson in Geneva said that many families spent the night on the streets or in green areas of the city.
M23 managed to briefly take over Goma in a previous revolt in 2012, which prompted international donors to reduce aid to Rwanda. The rebels were not as strong then as they are now.
