APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – The suspension of activities on major power facilities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the last two days has affected everything in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province.
From water supplies and communication networks following the power outages, the fighting between M23 rebels and government troops has brought chaos in Goma, according to reporters in the region on Tuesday.
“It is total chaos since the city has plunged into the darkness over the last two days,” a resident of Goma confirmed to APA in a brief telephone interview while speaking on condition of anonymity.
Over the past few days, intense fighting has resumed between the DR Congo armed forces and M23 rebels in North Kivu, a province in northeastern DRC bordering Rwanda.
Earlier Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Rwanda and Congo to de-escalate tensions and withdraw troops from their border following increased fighting.
In a related development, a spokesperson of the M23 rebel movement, on Tuesday confirmed the detention of “several dozen” Burundian soldiers captured recently in the battlefield from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while fighting alongside Congolese government forces (FARDC).
According to Lawrence Kanyuka M23’s political spokesperson, the group of detained Burundian soldiers were captured while attempting to break through M23 defences.
“The majority of the prisoners of war were captured from the battlefield,” Kanyuka told APA in a brief interview without elaborating on the number of captured Burundian soldiers.
CU/as/APA