APA – Kinshasa(DR Congo) – Following weeks of fightings, M23 rebel forces this week pushed their way to within a few kilometers of Goma, the capital city of North Kivu from Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Their advance has forced local residents to accept the possibility that the war will soon be on their doorsteps, several correspondents in the region reported Wednesday.
The march on Goma comes at a time when thousands of troops from three SADC countries — South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi — have been deployed in eastern DRC to stem the rebel advance.
After years of dormancy, the M2 has captured swathes of territory in North Kivu since taking up arms again in late 2021.
Earlier this week, the US State Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has talked to former Kenya president Uhuru Kenyatta about establishing a pathway to reconciliation with armed groups in DR Congo.
Authorities in Kinshasa are against any dialogue with M23 rebels.
The East African Community (EAC) has severally attempted in vain to establish dialogue between the warring sides under the Nairobi Process.
Taking to Twitter, M23 political spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) attacked their positions using heavy artillery, emphasising that although they have no issue with the peacekeeping forces they would not hesitate to retaliate should the attacks continue.
In retaliation, M23 rebels launched an offensive in the evening of Tuesday targeting the Tanzanian position with artillery fire.
CU/as/APA