In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, between the M33 rebels and the fight between the government forces, some organizations are transferring employees as they no longer feel safe. It was reportedly said by Rwanda -backed rebels in the weekend that they had controlled Goma, the largest city in the region.
DRC Country Director Rose Tchwanco told the VOA for Mercy Corps that since last week, the human group has closely monitored the situation as there was a clash between government forces and M32 in the city of Goma and around the city of about 2 million people. .
“Since last week from Wednesday, after the fall of Minova, with the collapse of Sake, which are the major supply routes in Goma, the situation looked a bit more severe with the adjacent acquisition or infiltration in Goma by rebellious forces,” she said. “We took some decisions, first of all to take out non-essential employees, calling your teams back from the place where it was not safe to continue to provide humanitarian services.”
But it changed rapidly, as the situation became more unstable in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, which is on the border of Rwanda.
“Due to increasing struggle around Goma on Sunday, we also had to take the senior team out of Giseni (across the border in Rwanda) so that we could continue working and provide necessary assistance to our teams across the country.” He said.
He told the VOA that the situation is serious.
He said, “Till yesterday, we know that the airport in Goma is closed and M3 is under control.” “We have heard the news of sporadic fighting in the central part of Goma city. Some of us can actually do this across this border [hear] The sound of bullets at night at night. We are aware of the presence of M3 in Goma but are still uncertain about what the real situation is. ”
According to United Nations and South African officials, last week when M33 rebels took an lead in Goma, three peace soldiers of the United Nations died and seven South African soldiers and three soldiers serving in a separate Southern African Development Community Mission Also killed.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, the United Nations Security Council called for ending enmity.
Bintau Kayeta, head of the United Nations Mission in Congo, presented a disappointing picture and addressed the council through a video link.
“Roads are blocked and the airport cannot be used now for withdrawal or human efforts,” he said. “M23 has declared the airspace over Goma as closed.”
Goma resident Jack Mongi, who sent an audio message to the VOA in the French language through WhatsApp, said the fight is still going on around the airport.
“As soon as I speak, you can hear the sounds of bullets, we are under our mattresses, are under your beds and if you hear, you can hear the sounds of bullets …”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Congo told the United Nations Security Council that it is “a direct attack, a declaration of war”.
The VOA approached the Rwanda government for comment but did not get any reply immediately.
Several countries represented at the Special Security Council meeting condemned the attacks, including acting US Ambassador to the United Nations, Dorothy Sheiya, who called upon the ceasefire.
He said, “The United States will consider all the means available to them to justify those responsible for armed conflict, instability and insecurity.”
In Nairobi, Kenya President William Ruto said that he spoke to both the Congo and Rwanda Presidents and called for “immediately and unconditionally end”.
Ruto, who is also the president of the eastern African community, says he will call an extraordinary EAC summit in the coming days to try to find a way forward in this crisis.
