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Congolese army mops up M23 rebels' last military position

congolese army

Congolese armyCourtesy photo Al Manar news

 

by Joseph Earnest November 4, 2013

 

Newscast Media KINSHASA—The Congolese army seized one of the last positions held by the M23 rebel group on Monday. Thousands of people are on the run. The rebels have repeated their peace offer.

Standing beside his taxi at the Biere roundabout in the center of Goma, James Karefu is keeping calm. "No, I'm not afraid of the M23. Its present state does not allow them to stand in front of a regular army", the taxi driver tells DW.

One year ago, the name M23 was enough to sent shockwaves down the spines of Goma residents, after the rebels took the major trade hub in eastern DRC. They stayed in the city for ten days while Congolese soldiers and UN peacekeepers stood by and watched.

That has changed dramatically. After a military campaign that lasted a few weeks, the rebels control little more than three hilltops in the entire region. And even though fighting between the rebels and the army erupted again on Monday in another part of the eastern DR Congo, Goma's residents went about their daily routines. "In Goma, life goes on normally", Deutsche Welle correspondent Gaïus Kowene reported. Shops, schools and banks operate as usual, our correspondent said.

M23 launched its rebellion in April 2012, becoming the latest reincarnation of an ethnic Tutsi rebel group dissatisfied with the Congolese government.

On Monday, Congolese soldiers seized the strategic hilltop of Mbuzi. It had been "completely conquered," the AFP news agency quoted a senior Congolese official as saying. "We can't stop...there are only a few hills left to conquer," he added. Correspondents in the area reported that the soldiers attacked the hillpost with tanks and rocket fire. Seven rebels are said to have been captured.

The M23 complained that the army had attacked its positions with heavy weapons. "Our movement reiterates that we are ready to unconditionally sign the peace deal agreed on Saturday, November 3 in Kampala," the rebels said in a statement.

African leaders meanwhile met in South Africa's capital Pretoria on Monday evening to find a political situation for the crisis. South Africa's president Jacob Zuma is expected to discuss the situation with the presidents of Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Add Comments>>

 

Source: Deutsche Welle

 

Related stories:

 

Hillary Clinton: M23 Rebels must abide by the Kampala Accords

Not enough Congolese have been killed for the U.S. to intervene

Finally M23 rebels have agreed to withdraw from the DR Congo 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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