UN Security Council condemns rebel offensive in eastern DR Congo

The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned a new rebel offensive in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where March 23 movement (M23) rebels have set up a parallel government.

The Security Council held a meeting on Saturday at France's request to discuss the offensive by M23 rebels, who UN experts have said are backed by neighboring Rwanda and Uganda. 

The 15-nation body called for M23 rebels to immediately stop their advance towards Goma, which is the capital of North Kivu province. 

The UN Security Council also urged an end to outside support for the rebels, who are now less than 20 kilometers from Goma, demanding that “any and all outside support and supply of equipment to the M23 cease immediately." 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon talked to Rwandan President Paul Kagame and asked him to help stop the M23 advance, said UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous. 

Ladsous added that the UN could not confirm whether Rwanda is behind the latest M23 offensive but noted with concern that there are reports “the M23 attacking forces are well-equipped and very well supplied." 

Earlier on Saturday, the rebels captured the town of Kibumba, despite airstrikes by UN attack helicopters, which were helping the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). 

In September, Ladsous said M23 is strengthening its grip over the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in the eastern Congo and could seriously threaten the Congolese government. 

Since early May, over 750,000 people have fled their homes in the eastern Congo. Most of them have resettled inside Congo, but tens of thousands have crossed into neighboring Rwanda and Uganda.

Congo has faced numerous problems over the past few decades, such as grinding poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and a war in the east of the country that has dragged on for over a decade and left over 5.5 million people dead. 

GJH/AS 

Source: PressTV (18/11/2012): http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/11/18/272972/un-condemns-m23-offensive-in-eastern-congo/