Blue helmets "trapped"

Rebels in Congo continue to advance

The Congolese army is trying to repel the rebels, who are apparently supported by Rwanda.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Michael Lunanga)

The rebels of the M23 movement are apparently advancing further in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to their own statements, they have now also taken over Goma, the largest city in the region. The UN peacekeepers stationed there are, in their own words, "trapped".

"The roads are blocked and the airport can no longer be used for evacuations or humanitarian aid," reported Bintou Keita, head of the UN mission in Congo, to the United Nations Security Council. The UN's most important body convened for an urgent meeting on Sunday and adopted a declaration calling on the rebels to halt the offensive. At the same time, "external forces" were called upon to withdraw immediately. This refers to the neighboring country of Rwanda, although it was not explicitly mentioned.

Congo accuses Rwanda of "declaration of war"
The Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Rwanda of sending troops into its country. This is a "declaration of war" that requires sanctions by the UN Security Council, said Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner at the Security Council meeting on Sunday. 

The US government, France and Great Britain condemned Rwanda's alleged support for the rebels. The neighboring country rejects the accusations. "The current crisis could have been avoided if the Congolese government had shown a genuine commitment to peace," said Rwanda's UN ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo. 

Hundreds of thousands of people have already fled the recent fighting.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Jospin Mwisha)

Rebels control important raw material
The eastern Congolese border regions have been considered extremely unstable since the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. The M23 is the latest in a long line of Tutsi-led rebel groups. According to the UN, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the combat zones since the M23's latest offensive began on January 23, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation. Due to the violence, the World Food Program had to temporarily suspend its emergency aid.

Eastern Congo has rich deposits of raw materials. The metal coltan is particularly valuable. It plays an important role in the production of laptops, smartphones and electric car batteries. The DR Congo is one of the world's most important producers of coltan. The M23 controls the mining of coltan in the areas conquered by the militia.