The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the M23 rebels in eastern Congo to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from territories seized. The council also threatened sanctions against those who prolong the conflict.
France, which drafted the text, said the resolution sends a clear message that there is no military solution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere stated that reaching an effective ceasefire agreement is urgent and requires support from mediation at the regional level.
The council also accused Rwanda’s defense forces of providing direct support to M23 rebels, which Rwanda has repeatedly denied. The Security Council strongly urged DRC and Rwanda to return to diplomatic talks as a matter of urgency.
M23 rebels have been seizing territory in eastern Congo with little resistance from the national army since mid-December. They have taken control of several important towns and established “parallel administrations” in some territories. The head of the U.N. mission in the eastern DRC warned that M23 appears to be targeting Kinshasa, the capital.
Rwanda alleges that Kinshasa collaborates with a Hutu armed group linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, an allegation the DRC rejects. The UN council condemned support provided by DRC military forces to specific armed groups and urged parties to rapidly implement plans for neutralizing these groups.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians are caught up in the fighting, and the U.N. refugee agency needs $40.4 million to assist internally displaced people. The DRC government has designated M23 as a terrorist organization, while the United Nations and the United States classify it as an armed rebel group.
The UN action comes after weeks of repeated appeals from the Congolese government. Sierra Leone’s envoy offered lessons on how parties can find sustainable peace through dialogue, emphasizing that talking to adversaries is essential for peace.
Source: https://www.voanews.com/a/un-security-council-demands-rebels-withdraw-from-captured-congolese-cities/7984216.html