The army of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced that it has successfully dislodged the M23 rebels from eight localities in the Masisi territory in the eastern part of the country.
Spokesperson for the Congolese army Lieutenant Colonel Guillaume Ndjike said the The FARDC launched offensives early on May 22 against the positions of the M23/RDF (Rwandan army).
He added that the loyalist army now controls the localities of Bweru, Bihamnwe, Mema, Kaniro, Kavumu, Kasake, Kashovu, and Bitonga after routing the Rwandan army troops.
The DRC accuses Rwanda and the M23 of attempting to control the mineral-rich regions of eastern Congo. The M23, on the other hand, claims to defend the Tutsi population, an ethnic group associated with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
The rebels are calling for negotiations, but Kinshasa refuses to engage with what it labels “terrorists.” The M23, defeated in 2013 and resurfacing in 2021, is demanding the implementation of the peace agreements concluded in 2013 after the Congolese army and UN peacekeepers routed the rebels.
Currently, the rebels control a significant portion of the localities in the Masisi and Nyiragongo territories in North Kivu province. Western countries advocate for dialogue to resolve the crisis.
