The (M23) movement has taken control of the border town of Ishasha in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, complicating a ceasefire that began on August 4 between the DRC and Rwanda.
The movement’s forces entered the border area on the same day the ceasefire began, raising concerns about the stability of the region.
“The rebels are numerous and well-equipped,” said Romy Savasawa, head of the civil society organization Ishasha, adding that the town fell to the movement without significant resistance.
The DRC has accused Rwanda of providing support to armed groups, accusing it of trying to control the region’s vast mineral wealth, a charge Rwanda strongly denies.
The DRC’s mineral wealth is estimated at $25 trillion, making it a target for international and regional ambitions.
Reuters reported that about 100 Congolese officers crossed into Uganda in the Kanungu region in the southwest of the country, citing the regional spokesman for the Uganda People’s Defense Forces, Major Kikonko Tabaro.
At least 2,500 additional Congolese refugees have arrived in Uganda in recent days, fleeing escalating violence and insecurity.
The foreign ministry of the Democratic Republic of Congo summoned the Ugandan charge d’affaires, Matata Toha, after a UN report indicated Uganda’s support for the March 23 movement.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda reached a ceasefire agreement on July 30, brokered by Angola, that was due to come into effect on August 4, but the latest developments put the agreement in jeopardy.
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