Ruandan’s M23 rebels entered Bukava, the second largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, subtracting the regional governor.
Some lined the streets to clog and cheer fighters as they marched and drove into the city center without resistance. It is another city after goma fall on rebels in the region-rich in the mineral in the last few weeks.
The Congoleneous Government acknowledged its decline and called the inhabitants to stay at home “to avoid targeting forces”.
The UN and European countries have warned that the latest offensive, which saw hundreds of thousands of people forced from their homes, could cause a broader regional war.
A resident in Bukav, who asked to remain anonymous about her security concerns, told BBC on Sunday that most people were still afraid to leave their homes.
“Since yesterday, children and young people took over their weapons. They shoot everywhere in all directions, they rob.” She said.
“This morning, M23 came, and people praised them, very happy to see them. We don’t know whether it is because they are colored or because they have found that there was no power in the city.
“The place where I live a crackling (shooting) can still be heard.”
On Friday, M23 captured the main airport Bukava, which is about 30km (18 miles) north of the city – and then began to progress slowly towards the city, which is the capital of South Kiva.
Provincial Governor, Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, confirmed the news agency Reuters, the fighters were in the center of Bukav until Sunday morning, adding that the congoles troops were withdrawn to avoid urban struggles.
This has left a safety vacuum in the city on Saturday with a toy scenes, including the reported prison from the central prison.
The UN World Food Program (WFP) said the warehouse with almost 7,000 tons of food was looted.
The city of about two million people at the southern top border Lake Kivu Rwanda and is an important transit point for local mineral trade.
His decline represents an unprecedenting territories for the M23, because their latest rebellion at the end of 2021 began. – and a blow to the governments of the President Félix Tshisekedi.
Patrick Muyaya’s spokesman said Rwanda breached the territorial integrity of Dr. Congo through expansionist ambitions and human rights abuse.
The Congolation Government accuses Rwanda for the sowing of chaos in the region – as well as to have troops on the ground – so that it can benefit from its natural resources, something Kigali denies.
President Tshisekedi wants his Randanian fellow Paul Kagama to face sanctions over the latest unrest.
But President Kagama rejected such threats – and several times pointed out that Rwanda’s main priority is his safety.
It was long furious about what he sees as a failure of the Congo-own authorities to deal with the FLDR rebellious rebel group of Dr. Congo, which sees as a danger to Rwanda.
The Group consists of some members of ethnic Hut militia in the accused in the genocide in 1994. in Rwanda killed more than 100 days of about 800,000 people, mostly from the ethnic group Tutsi.
Troops from Tusti-Led M23 gathered in De L’Indépendance in the central Bukav on Sunday, where one of his commanders Bernard byamungung was recorded by chatting on the locals and answering their questions in Swahili.
He called on government forces “hiding in the houses” to surrender – and accused the withdrawal of military to spread terror arming local young people who went to robbery.
The African Union (AU) – which held the heads of the State Summit in Ethiopia this weekend this weekend – again called M23 to disarm.
“We are all very, very worried about the open regional war,” Reuters quotes the AU commercial banking for peace and banks Adeo Adeo.
2025-02-16 17:36:00
