The
March 23 Movement (M23) rebels have conquered the Nyakakoma locality in Rutshuru
territory, North Kivu province, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Nyakakoma fell into the hands of the rebels on Wednesday evening after
an exchange of fire with the Congolese marine forces, supported by fighters from a
local armed group known as Mai Mai.
Nyakakoma is located
on the southwestern shores of Lake Edward on the borders with Uganda.
After
the capture of the locality, rebels released audio and videos of them addressing
locals in Kiswahili language to calm down and resume business. The videos also show
rebels being hugged by locals in the form of welcoming them.
//Cue
in: “mimi na sema…
Cue
out: …wajenge Congo.”//
Bertrand
Bisimwa, the M23 rebels president in the wee hours of Thursday morning released
a statement confirming that his group captured Nyakakoma, one of the major
fishing centers.
“Total
communion between our people and its soldiers of ARC/M23/AFC in the locality of
Nyakakoma . Our populations now breathe the air of peace and tranquility after
decades of torture and other exactions suffered at the hands of the FDLR and
armed groups allied to the Kinshasa regime,” said Bisimwa.
DR
Congo soldiers and Mai Mai fighters fled towards Rukambura and sailed on Lake
Edward towards the northern direction.
The
DR Congo government has yet to comment about the capture of Nyakakoma. The
capture of Nyakakoma now put M23 rebels at the stage of controlling the whole
of Rutshuru territory following a series of
fighting since early this month. The rebels first captured Nkwenda-Kisegur,
Nyamilima, and Ishasha border.
The
occupation of Nyakakoma now allows M23 to control the southern and eastern
shores of Lake Edward, opening navigation access to the far north of the North
Kivu province.
On
Wednesday, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo held a press conference
and accused former president Joseph Kabila and neighboring Rwanda of escalating
insecurity in North Kivu province.Tshisekedi repeated his stand never to
dialogue with M23 rebels and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Paul Kagame has on several occasions denied being behind the M23 rebels.
Meanwhile,
the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)
has on Thursday released a statement confirming that it has been granted
authority by the United Nations (UN) Security Council to provide operational and
logistical support to the Development Community peace Mission of Southern
Africa (SADC) troops deployed in North Kivu province.
MONUSCO said it had been allowed
to support SADC troops by strengthening coordination, exchange of
information, and technical assistance, as well as by allowing it to call upon
the logistical means and military capabilities in the deployment zones.
MONUSCO
was also allowed to provide technical advice and support on the protection
of civilians, including women and girls, child protection, prevention of conflict-related
sexual violence, prevention of harm to civilians, civil-military coordination,
disarmament, and the management of weapons and ammunition.
The
conflict between M23 and the Congolese government began in March 2022, led by
Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga.
The rebels assert that their fight is against corruption, xenophobia, and
discrimination within the DR Congo's leadership.
