M23 rebels kill 13 foreign peacekeepers in DR Congo

Thirteen soldiers working with the peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were killed in clashes with rebels from the M23 group.

The South African Army said that nine of its soldiers died helps to restore a rebel progress in the city of Gouma, in the east of Dr. Kongo, while three Malawi and Uruguay were killed.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he spoke to the leaders of Dr. Congo and Rwanda amid global calls to end violence.

The United Nations takes out all non-primary employees from Goma-a city that includes more than a million people-with the intensification of the fighting.

A meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the deadly clashes, which was originally identified on Monday, was transferred to Sunday due to the escalating conflict.

The M23 group invited the Congolese forces in Juma to surrender in order to avoid bloodshed. While Dr. Kongo cut diplomatic ties with neighboring Rwanda, accusing her country behind the rebellion.

This step comes after M23 fighters The Congolese governor was killed Who was visiting the confrontation line on Thursday. Earlier in January, they seized the Eastern Congolese cities in Minova and Messi.

His office said that Macron called for ending the fighting in separate calls with the leaders of Dr. Kongo and Rwanda on Saturday.

The head of the European Union’s foreign policy urged Kaja Calas M23 to stop his progress and condemned Rwanda’s support for the group, according to the reports of the news agency.

The condemnation of the administrative conviction came from the President of Angolan Joao Lorenco, the mediator of the African Union between Rwanda and Dr. Kongo, who stressed “irresponsible actions by M23 and its supporters” and called for “immediate stopping” to fight in order to preserve the news agency.

The fighting between the M23 and the Dr Congo army has intensified since the beginning of the year, as the rebels took control of more lands more than ever.

The conflict has already led more than 400,000 people to flee their homes this year, according to the United Nations.

Local leaders said last week that more than 200 civilians were killed in the areas seized by the M23, where hospitals in Goma are treating hundreds of patients.

Martin Gordon, a Anglican bishop in Goma, said that the BBC fighting in the country has gone “the way for a long time” and people will do “anything for peace.”

In the past few days, many countries have urged their citizens to leave Guma, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States.

Human Rights Watch warned against escalating risks to civilians as the Congolese army fights the M23. The humanitarian group accused both sides of committing serious violations against civilians.

The United Nations has warned that the ongoing conflict is getting worse for the humanitarian crisis in the region.

M23 has controlled vast areas of the Eastern Congo rich in minerals since 2021. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced as a result.

Dr. Congo and the United Nations say M23 is supported by Rwanda. The Rwandan authorities did not confirm this and did not deny that.

Rwanda previously said that the authorities in Dr. Congo were working with some of those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the moderate ethnic Tutsi and the Hospital.

The M23 was formed as a branch of another rebel group in 2012, outwardly to protect the TURTSI residents in the eastern Dr Cono, which has long complained of persecution and discrimination.

However, Rwanda’s critics accuse her of using M23 to loot the minerals of the Eastern Congo such as gold, cobalt and tantalum.