The Congolese Army and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group have in recent hours extended the area of fighting in North Kivu province, in the east of the country, ever closer to the capital, Goma, where tens of thousands of people have arrived in recent weeks to escape the fighting.
Sources of Radio France Internationale (RFI) have confirmed that the fighting has reached the territory of Nyiragongo, south of Rutshuru, for the first time since last May, and even confirmed several detonations near Kibumba, about twenty kilometers north of Goma.
Civil society associations in the affected localities have raised the alarm and have gone on to call directly for the opening of a humanitarian corridor for 72 hours starting this Sunday, according to a communiqué from civil society groups in Rumangabo, reported by the French international radio station.
According to the United Nations, 188,000 people have fled their homes since October 20, for a total of nearly 240,000 since the beginning of this latest conflict, which has provoked a diplomatic crisis between the DRC and Rwanda over Kigali’s alleged support for the armed group — denied by the Rwandan authorities — and the intervention of a Kenyan support force.
Meanwhile, mediation efforts continue with the visit this Sunday to DRC of former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta following Saturday’s meetings between Angolan President Joao Lourenço and his Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi. Lourenço had visited Rwandan President Paul Kagame the day before.
«We will not be able to go into the details of the discussions that took place in Kigali, just like the discussions that took place in Kinshasa. But we assure you that the heads of state will continue to work,» said Angolan Foreign Minister Tété Antonio.
