The M23 armed group is advancing on strategic areas in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after taking two key cities, warned the United Nations, stressing the threat of regional conflict.
The past few weeks have seen the rapid M23 progression supported by Rwanda, which has grasped large expanses of the eastern DRC, including Goma and Bukavu.
“If our information is correct, [the M23] Continue to progress to other strategic areas in the north and southern Kivu, “UN secretary general for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, told Huang Xia.
He said that if the “deep intentions of the M23 and their support” remain unknown, “the risk of a regional conflagration is more real than ever”, adding that such a conflict would have “catastrophic” consequences.
Fighting in recent weeks have raised fears of a rehearsal of the Second Congo War from 1998 to 2003, which attracted several African countries and resulted in millions of violence, illness and famine.
The head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC (Monusco), Bintou Keita, also expressed his concern about the advance of the M23 – now “at the junction of the three borders between the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi ”.
