The East African Community (EAC) regional force is set to meet Saturday representatives of the M23 rebels fighting government forces in eastern DR Congo, following their withdrawal from one of the occupied positions, a rebel spokesperson confirmed Thursday.
Lawrence Kanyuka, the M23 political spokesperson, said that the meeting, due on Saturday, December 31, will be “in line with its continued commitment to the implementation of the resolutions of Luanda’s mini summit.”
The M23 withdrew from Kibumba last week, a move it said was made “in the name of peace.”
The EAC regional force now controls Kibumba.
However, Kanyuka told reporters that Kinshasa government coalition, which includes rebel armed groups like the FDLR, had continued to shell on M23-controlled areas, in violation of an existing ceasefire.
He alleged that the coalition “used heavy artillery and fighter jets SUKHOI to deliberately launch attacks aiming at displaced populations.”
Kanyuka said the M23 would “not stand aside and witness the slaughtering of innocent people” in areas it controls.
In a related development, Rwandan matines units have fired warning shots after another DR Congo warplane violated Rwandan airspace by flying over the city of Gisenyi and surrounding areas late Wednesday.
Following the incident, Rwandan government issued a statement indicating that, it has once again protested to the DR Congo government against the violations of its airspace by Congolese fighter jets.
“These repeated violations are against the spirit of Luanda and Nairobi peace initiatives. The authorities in the DR Congo seem to be emboldened by consistent coddling by some in the international community who repeatedly heap blame on Rwanda for any and all ills in the DR Congo, while ignoring the transgressions originating from DR Congo. These provocations must stop,” the statement warned.
CU/as/APA