Rebel leader says he has captured the town of Goma in eastern DR Congo
The leader of the Congolese rebel group March 23 Movement (M23), Cornel Nangaa, said he had taken control of the town of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He told Reuters on January 27.
"Goma is in our hands," Nangaa said.
The publication, in turn, emphasized that it is not yet possible to determine whether the city is completely taken by the rebels.
According to the publication, chaos reigns in the city, with residents complaining of indiscriminate sounds of gunfire, power cuts, blocked roads and airspace.
"In other words, we are trapped," said the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, Bintou Keita, during a Security Council meeting held via video link.
On the eve, January 26, it was reported that an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the DRC will be held in connection with the intensified fighting on the territory of the state.
The aggravation of the situation occurred after the government of the DR Congo accused Rwanda of supporting the rebel group "March 23 Movement" (M23), whose members launched a new offensive on the city of Goma, located on the border with Rwanda.
Earlier, on January 25, it was reported that DR Congo recalled its diplomats from Rwanda and demanded that the country cease diplomatic and consular activities in the DR Congo capital Kinshasa within 48 hours. The decision came amid growing tensions between the two countries.
The M23 rebel group, led by ethnic Tutsis, is named after the date of the March 23, 2009 agreement that ended the previous Tutsi rebellion. The rebels accuse the government of not honoring the peace agreement to fully integrate Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration. The DR Congo government accuses Rwanda of supporting the rebels.
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