"Successive sanctions imposed on our members, including those enacted on the eve of the Luanda discussions, severely undermine direct dialogue and make any progress impossible," said M23.
The SADC Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of States and Government sitting in Harare, Zimbabwe, the leaders directed the commencement of a phased withdrawal of SAMIDRC (Southern African Mission in DRC) troops from the DRC.
In the early hours of Monday morning, Lieutenant Colonel Willy Ngoma released a statement affirming the rebels' claim. Ngoma stated that after suffering defeat, FARDC soldiers and their coalition retreated to the peripheral hills surrounding Kamandi-Gite.
On Thursday night, Lawrence Kanyuka, the M23 political spokesperson released a statement accusing the FARDC and coalition of firing 122 Millimeter Mortar bombs against M23 positions.
On Wednesday afternoon, M23 President Bertrand Bisimwa released a statement urging miners to return to the mines and work. Bisimwa argued that M23 was forced to advance to the area after FARDC and Burundian mercenaries launched an attack on their positions on Tuesday morning of April 30th 2024.
Bintou Keita, the head of MONUSCO released a statement saying that one of the troops is seriously injured Keita condemned the attack with greatest firmness.
Lieutenant Colonel Ndjike Kaiko Guillaume, the DRC army spokesperson for North Kivu province, reported that M23 initiated an attack in Kibaya and Kalake in the Virunga Park, west of Kibumba, with the aim of breaching a passage leading to Mutaho in the Kibati Groupement, approximately 12 kilometers from Goma city.
Fierce fighting started last week between Wazalendo and M23 on all the fronts in Masisi, Ruthuru and Nyiragongo territories. In the aftermath, Wazalendo claimed to have captured 21 villages from the hands of M23.
The latest clash between M23 rebels and Wazalendo, specifically the Nyatura militia, occurred on Sunday, August 6, 2023, in Marangara village, Bwito Chiefdom, Tongo Groupement.
The M23 cease-fire declaration came as 100 Burundian soldiers were deploying in Sake town, 27 kilometers west of Goma city under the East African Community Regional Force to prevent the advance of the rebels (M23).
Fighting continues in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, hours after the M23 rebels took control of a key town in North Kivu Province on Friday. The capture of Mushaki Locality in Bahunde chiefdom, Masisi territory comes after two days of fierce fighting between the rebels, the Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the local militia coalition.
The report also indicates that the acts were part of a campaign waged by M23 to punish and humiliate civilians suspected of being supporters of rival armed groups, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and local Mai-Mai.
The deployment is part of the deal signed on September 9, 2022, between President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo and East Africa Community member states to flash M23 rebels out of DRC's Ituri, North and South Kivu Provinces.
The fighting happened in Kabingo and Rubavu villages in Busanza grouping. In Rubavu village, FARDC soldiers and the militia groups of Nyatura and Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) attacked the rebels’ positions.
M23 rebels have been battling with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since March this year under a claim of fighting bad leadership based on corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination. They have since captured the major Uganda-DR Congo border of Bunagana and the neighbouring areas.
Richard Harerimana, a resident of Gatwe village, Bunagana ward, Bunagana town council says that he had spent six years hiring land in Mugongo, Rutshuru, and growing Irish potatoes. But when fighting escalated, he feared to go cross to harvest in this season.
A Ugandan security source at the border, says that the soldiers fled into Uganda following non-stop fighting on Sunday day and night. The FARDC soldiers, who were manning the border abandoned tanks and other kinds of weapons as they fled to Uganda.
The children crossed into Uganda following fighting between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers that started on March 28 in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu province.
