The UN has demanded that the M23 stop fighting in eastern Congo
The UN Security Council (UNSC) has demanded that the Congolese rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) halt its offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Reuters reported on January 27.
"The council's demands came just hours after the Rwandan-backed M23 movement said they had taken the [Congolese town of] Goma after a lightning offensive," the agency noted.
The UN also said all "external forces" should be withdrawn from Congolese territory immediately.
The ongoing rebel offensive has forced thousands of people to abandon their homes and flee in anticipation of a new war in the region. It is reported, however, that there is currently no way to confirm that M23 has indeed managed to fully capture the city of Goma, which is the capital of DRC's North Kivu province and plays an important role in the region.
On January 26, the UN Security Council announced an emergency meeting amid fighting in DR Congo. The situation escalated after the Congolese government accused Rwanda of supporting the rebel group "March 23 Movement", whose members launched a new offensive on the city of Goma, located on the border with Rwanda.
A day earlier, the Democratic Republic of the Congo severed diplomatic relations with Rwanda and recalled its diplomats from there. It is noted that the decision was taken because of the escalation of the conflict in the east. Nine South African peacekeepers were killed in Congo by rebels supported by Rwanda.
Shortly before that, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced the immediate withdrawal of its diplomats based in Kigali and ordered the Rwandan embassy in Kinshasa to cease operations within 48 hours.
