DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi vows ‘vigorous’ response to M23 rebels in Goma

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has vowed to revive authorities authority within the east, the place Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized management of town of Goma and are reportedly advancing south to take extra territory.

In a televised handle to the nation, he mentioned a “vigorous and coordinated response” towards what he known as “terrorists” was underneath manner.

He criticised the worldwide group for “inaction” and for not doing sufficient within the wake of the escalating safety disaster.

The weeks-long offensive by the rebels has promoted warnings of a looming humanitarian disaster and rising worldwide stress to finish the combating.

Throughout Wednesday evening’s handle, Tshisekedi rallied all Congolese to hitch collectively and assist the military’s struggle to retake management.

“Ensure of 1 factor: the Democratic Republic of Congo won’t let itself be humiliated or crushed. We’ll struggle and we’ll triumph,” he mentioned.

The combating has compelled about 500,000 folks from their houses, worsening an already dire humanitarian disaster, based on the UN.

For the reason that combating started, town has been reduce off from electrical energy and water and meals is in scarce provide.

An East African regional bloc digital summit on Wednesday night convened by Kenya’s President William Ruto, which Tshisekedi snubbed, known as for a “peaceable settlement of the conflicts”.

It was attended by Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, alongside the leaders of different member international locations Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania and Somalia.

The heads of state “strongly urged the federal government of the DR Congo to immediately interact with all stakeholders, together with the M23 and different armed teams which have grievances”.

Tshisekedi has been refusing to speak on to the M23 – insisting on solely speaking to Rwanda.

The East African leaders additionally known as for a joint summit of the bloc and leaders of the southern African regional group (Sadc) to “deliberate on the best way ahead”. DR Congo is a member of each the East African Group and Sadc.

Tshisekedi paid tribute to the Sadc troopers “combating alongside us” and UN forces who had died within the wake of the insurgent assault on Goma.

13 South African peacekeepers have been killed within the lethal battle in Goma, resulting in heightened tensions between South Africa and Rwanda.

On Wednesday evening, Kagame mentioned Rwanda was prepared for a confrontation with South Africa if vital, following a declare by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa that M23 fighters and Rwandan forces have been chargeable for the deaths.

In a strongly worded assertion immediately responding to Ramaphosa on X, Kagame accused him of distorting their non-public conversations concerning the risky state of affairs.

“If South Africa needs to contribute to peaceable options, that’s effectively and good, however South Africa is in no place to tackle the function of a peacemaker or mediator. And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will take care of the matter in that context any day,” he mentioned.

The change marks a major escalation in tensions between the 2 nations, whose relationship has been fragile for a number of years.

On Wednesday, Angola known as for the Congolese and Rwandan leaders to satisfy urgently in Luanda.

The nation, which mediated a failed try at talks in December earlier than the M23 launched its newest offensive, additionally known as for the resumption of East African Group-led discussions referring to the unrest in japanese DR Congo.

It got here as Tshisekedi visited Luanda for discussions on the subsequent steps within the Angola-led talks.

Each the EAC-led and the Luanda peace efforts have up to now didn’t resolve the disaster.

Extra reporting by Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg and Barbara Plett in Nairobi