South African President Cyril Ramaphosa traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe, to attend an urgent SADC summit focusing on the escalating security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The summit aims to address the recent M23 rebel offensive, which has captured the city of Goma, and strategize for de-escalation and the future of SADC's military mission in the region. The situation has raised concerns about a potential regional conflict, with Rwanda calling for the end of the SADC mission and reports of Rwandan and Burundian troop involvement.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, to attend the Southern African Development Community Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government to discuss the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo .
Meanwhile, Rwanda— which is not a SADC member— has called for an end to the mission, labeling the troops a belligerent force rather than a peacekeeping operation.Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the DRC are seeking to advance south towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in an attempt to expand their area of control in the country’s east after capturing the city of Goma.
The rebels entered Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, on Monday night and had seized control of the city’s airport by Tuesday evening, after facing pockets of resistance in strategic areas. Hundreds of government troops and allied militia laid down their weapons. Since then, M23 fighters have pushed southwards into South Kivu, battling the Congolese army and its allies including Burundian troops, sources said.
SADC DRC M23 Rwanda Regional Conflict
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