The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has vowed to advance toward the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, after capturing most of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
“We will continue the march of liberation all the way to Kinshasa,” Corneille Nangaa, head of the coalition including M23 said, adding that “We are in Goma and we will not leave… for as long as the questions for which we took up arms have not been answered.”
The group’s offensive marks a significant escalation in the decades-long conflict in eastern DRC. While Rwanda claims its goal is to eliminate genocide-linked fighters, it faces accusations of exploiting the region’s mineral wealth.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot who arrived in Rwanda on Thursday to discuss the eastern DRC conflict has urged the withdrawal of Rwandan troops backing the M23 rebels. DWAfrica #DRC #M23
