M23 Rebels Capture Eastern Congo’s South Kivu City
The M23 rebels occupied Bukaf, the capital of South Kieff, further expanding their control in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bukavu has a population of 1 million, and after its nearby airport occupation and earlier Goma occupation in neighboring North Kivo, Bukavu fell. As the rebel groups advanced, Congolese troops largely abandoned the city on Friday, leaving weapons behind and triggering widespread looting. Kinshasa accused Kigali of seeking to occupy and exploit the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It claims there are 4,000 active Rwandan soldiers in the area – Kigali denies. Meanwhile, the African Union and the United Nations urged a ceasefire, fearing that the recent escalation of conflict could lead to wider regional wars.
source: Resign
