DR Congo Warns It Will Intensify Military Action Against M23 Rebels, Rwanda

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has warned that it will intensify military operations against M23 rebels, who now control much of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

President Félix Tshisekedi announced in a televised address on Wednesday night. He stated that the army was carrying out a vigorous and coordinated response against the rebels and their alleged backers, Rwanda. He also criticised the international community for its inaction amid the worsening crisis.

Earlier Wednesday, M23 fighters advanced in South Kivu and seized two districts. The UN Security Council, which met for the second time in three days, warned that the conflict could spiral into a regional war. The eastern DRC has long been unstable, with many armed groups linked to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Tshisekedi was notably absent from an East African Community (EAC) summit on Wednesday, attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Regional leaders called for an immediate ceasefire and urged DRC authorities to engage directly with M23 and other armed groups. Meanwhile, Angola, which previously attempted mediation before M23 launched its offensive, called for urgent talks between Tshisekedi and Kagame. The Angolan presidency confirmed that Tshisekedi was in Luanda on Wednesday to discuss the next steps.

Tensions between Rwanda and South Africa are also rising. Rwandan President Paul Kagame accusedSouth African officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, of distorting facts and making false claims about the conflict. He said Ramaphosa had privately acknowledged that M23 was not responsible for the deaths of South African soldiers but later made contradictory statements in public.

If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good, but South Africa is in no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator. And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day, Kagame said.

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