Fighting between M23 rebels and pro-Congolese militias continued on Sunday in Nyabiondo, a town located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Goma in eastern Congo, according to local residents. This comes just days after a nearby attack resulted in a significant civilian death toll, as reported by the United Nations and a non-governmental organization.
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has captured large portions of mineral-rich eastern Congo since the beginning of the year, escalating tensions in the region.
“M23 took control of Nyabiondo around 11 a.m. (0900 GMT) after intense clashes,” stated Kipanda Biiri, a local administrative official who was fleeing the area, in an interview with Reuters.
“The enemy launched a large-scale assault on Nyabiondo this morning,” added Telesphore Mitondeke, a civil society rapporteur from Masisi, the region where Nyabiondo is situated, referring to the M23 rebels. “As of now, there is heavy gunfire from all directions in the center of Nyabiondo, where the fighting is concentrated.”
This latest bout of fighting follows clashes from the previous week between M23 rebels and a pro-Congolese government militia in the village of Tambi, located about 18 kilometers northeast of Masisi. According to a local NGO head, the clashes culminated in an overnight attack on March 5, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties.
An internal United Nations memo seen by Reuters on Sunday indicated that between 40 and 70 civilians were likely killed in the attack.
Separately, on Sunday, a spokesperson for the rebel alliance that includes M23 announced on social media platform X that one of the pro-government militias operating in eastern Congo had defected and joined its alliance.
However, a spokesperson for the remaining members of the militia stated that the rest of the group remained loyal to the Congolese government and its military forces.
The M23 rebels have stated their intention to seize power in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, accusing the Congolese government of failing to uphold previous peace agreements and neglecting to fully integrate Congolese Tutsis into the national army and administration.
Analysts have noted that M23’s expansion into new mineral-rich territories this year also positions the group to access more mining revenues, further strengthening their operations.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the U.S. State Department indicated on Sunday that the United States is open to exploring potential partnerships for critical minerals with Congo. This follows a proposal from a Congolese senator who reached out to U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal.
Congo is known for its abundance of valuable minerals, including cobalt, lithium, and uranium, which are essential for various industries worldwide.
This article was produced by Reuters news agency and has not been edited by Global South World.
WRITTEN BY MR KENDRICK
