UN calls for immediate Ceasefire in DRC amid M23 rebel advances
By Nathan Morley
The UN Security Council has unanimously called on anti-government militants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from all the areas they now control.
This call comes as the M23 rebel group expands its control in the eastern part of the conflict-torn central African country.
In a significant development, M23 rebels entered the center of Bukavu, a major city, and are rapidly expanding their areas of control.
The head of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Bintou Keita, has highlighted that Rwanda-supported M23 rebels in the eastern North Kivu province are also hampering peacekeeping operations.
She stressed that the continued occupation of parts of North Kivu by the M23, supported by the Rwandan defense forces, has severely constrained MONUSCO's ability to fully implement mission requirements.
Keita added that the rebels prevent the mission from protecting civilians and carrying out life-saving operations
Humanitarian concerns are also mounting.
Stéphane Dujarric, the secretary-general's chief spokesman, reported that humanitarian partners are facing significant challenges in accessing those in need and providing medical assistance due to ongoing clashes in South Kivu's Uvira.
Hospitals in the province have been receiving civilian casualties from the conflict daily.
In the Kalehe territory, fighting has forced more than 50,000 people to flee over the past week, many seeking refuge in neighboring Burundi.
Since February, over 40,000 Congolese nationals, the majority of whom are women and children, have arrived in Burundi seeking protection.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto of Kenya and the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio have jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in the DRC conflict.
Following a telephone conversation between the two leaders, they pledged to support diplomatic efforts to end the crisis.
This includes the appointment of facilitators, the implementation of the ceasefire, and the broader political process towards a lasting resolution.
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