M23 rebels bomb Congolese army positions in eastern DR Congo

By Mevlut Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese forces resumed on Tuesday on the Lubero front in the eastern province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The M23 rebel group bombed Congolese army positions in the town of Kivisire, after the rebels killed "a civilian and Congolese soldiers" in a bomb attack on Sunday, according to local news website Actualite.cd.

“Now (1600GMT) we are hearing heavy weapon fire here in Ndoluma, where we are at the funeral of the civilian killed during a rebel attack that targeted our soldiers on Sunday. It is coming from Kivisire,” local sources told Actualite.cd.

The escalated clashes came after the leaders of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) called for an immediate ceasefire in a joint summit on Sunday.

The M23 rebels now claim control of Goma and have declared their own administration in the city.

Since Jan. 26, more than 3,000 people have been killed, 2,880 injured and over 500,000 displaced, adding to the 6.4 million already internally displaced people, according to the UN.

Kinshasa accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels and sending its forces to eastern Congo when the latest offensive began. Kigali has repeatedly denied the allegations.