Africa

Five civilians die in an attack attributed to the M23 in eastern DRC

Five civilians die in an attack attributed to the M23 in eastern DRC

June 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least five civilians have been killed, including a girl, and four others have been injured this Wednesday in an attack attributed to the rebel militia March 23 Movement (M23) against the Congolese town of Kanyaboyanga, in the eastern territory of Lubero. (North Kivu).

The spokesman for the Army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mak Hazukay, has confirmed that the attackers bombed the Kalongo neighborhood and that two of the wounded are in serious condition, according to the Actualité portal.

For their part, local authorities have assured that numerous residents have fled the area as a result of clashes between the Army, supported by the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), and the M23. According to United Nations data, around 1.5 million people have been displaced in North Kivu due to violence that has intensified in 2024.

The M23 is a rebel group made up mainly of Congolese Tutsis and operating mainly in the province of North Kivu. After a conflict between 2012 and 2013, DRC and the group signed a peace agreement in December. In these battles, the Congolese Army had the support of United Nations troops.

The group launched a new offensive in October 2022, which intensified in November, which caused a diplomatic crisis between the DRC and Rwanda due to its role in the conflict and has caused concern in the region over the possibility of a conflict breaking out between the two. countries.

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