A rebel group that claimed to have captured the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, after fighting with the Congolese military has left hundreds of people dead.
In a statement on Monday, the rebel coalition, Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) – which includes the M23 armed group – said it had declared the truce, starting Tuesday, “in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Kinshasa regime,” referring to DR Congo’s government.
The DRC and much of the international community have accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels.
It is unclear if the Congolese army will agree to the ceasefire. Previous interventions, including truce agreements, failed to cease hostilities.
“Have you seen the Rwandans do what they say? It (the ceasefire announcement by the rebels) is a communication for international consumption and to put the international community to sleep on its feet,” he said.
United Nations experts also estimate that up to 3,000-4,000 Rwandan soldiers are supervising and supporting M23 fighters in the east of the DRC, outnumbering the rebel group’s forces in the country.
Last week, DRC leader Felix Tshisekedi vowed “a vigorous and coordinated response” against M23, describing the group as Rwanda’s “puppet.”
Fighting erupted last week as the rebels advanced into Goma, the capital of DRC’s North Kivu province.
More than a dozen foreign peacekeepers, as well as the military governor of North Kivu, were killed trying to fend off the rebels, and thousands of locals were displaced.
According to the UN’s latest figures, at least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets of Goma, and around 2,880 injuries have been recorded since the end of January. A report by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said many healthcare facilities are overcrowded and in urgent need of medicine and equipment.
The rebel alliance emphasized it has “no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas,” referring to the capital city of the neighboring South Kivu province, where many displaced people from Goma had fled.
“However, we reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” it said.
Rebel leader Corneille Nangaa also told Rwandan media last week that his group’s objective was “to go to Kinshasa.”
“We are going to fight until we get to Kinshasa. We have come to Goma to stay; we are not going to withdraw. We are going to move forward from Goma to Bukavu … up to Kinshasa,” he said.