Goma – M23 rebels continued fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local sources said on Tuesday, the day they were due to begin withdrawing from their positions under a regional plan.
On 17 February, East African leaders urged all non-state armed groups to withdraw from territory in eastern Congo by 30 March .
The withdrawal was intended to take place in three stages, with the initial phase to begin on 28 February.
But the Tutsi-led M23 rebels continued advancing in the DRC’s North Kivu province on Tuesday after seizing the town of Mweso, about 100km west of the provincial capital Goma, on Monday.
Local civil society leader Alphonse Habimana said on Tuesday that the rebels were in control of the town of 30 000 people.
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Heritier Ndangendange, a spokesperson for one of the militia groups fighting against the M23, confirmed that rebels had captured Mweso.
Clashes with the M23 continued on Tuesday about 30km west of Goma, a city of over one million people, according to a security official who declined to be named.
M23 fighters also remained in their positions north of the city.
The rebels are close to encircling the city – which is sandwiched between Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border – with three out of four roads leading out of it cut off.
The remaining road, which leads to neighbouring South Kivu province, is in a state of disrepair owing to heavy rains last year.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@FredNshemereirw
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