DR Congo at risk of being "balkanized", warns African Union
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) could collapse if the situation in the eastern part of the country remains unchanged, the African Union warned on Sunday, according to "Prime Africa".
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The M23 rebel group has been on the offensive in the east of the country since the beginning of the year, reportedly making steady gains. The militants have launched attacks against the government of the Central African nation and have already killed more than a dozen foreign peacekeepers.
"We do not want the balkanization of eastern DRC. We call for the immediate removal of M23 and their supporters from all cities, including the Goma airport," said the African Union's peace and security commissioner, Bankole Adeoye, while attending the organization's summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In late January, the rebels captured Goma, a city on the border with Rwanda and the capital of the eastern province of North Kivu. They have since appointed their own officials in the region, including a governor and mayor of Goma, according to the UN.
Over the weekend, the M23 group seized Bukavu, the capital of neighboring South Kivu province, according to AFP. Photos on social media purportedly show the group controlling the border with Rwanda near Bukavu. The city, which has a population of about one million, was barely defended by Congolese armed forces (FARDC), AFP reported. With its capture, M23 reportedly gains control of the Congolese side of Lake Kivu, located between DR Congo and Rwanda.
On Saturday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for respect for the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Regional escalation must be avoided at all costs," he said at a summit in Addis Ababa.
DR Congo has claimed that about 4.000 Rwandan soldiers are supporting the militants, but Rwanda has denied involvement. Last week, spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said the Rwandan government was committed to peace and a sustainable resolution to the conflict in DR Congo.
The resource-rich east of the former Belgian colony has been wracked by violence for decades, as dozens of armed groups, including the M23, battle local authorities over minerals such as gold and diamonds. At least 2.900 people have been killed and more than 3.000 others wounded in the fighting, according to UN estimates.
