Congolese army: M23 withdrawal from near Goma 'sham'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Dec 2022 23:19

DRC military accused the M23 rebel group of redeploying in other positions near Goma.

Members of East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), left, watch the M23 rebels leaving after a ceremony to mark the withdrawal from their positions in the town of Kibumba, in the eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022 (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

The army of the Democratic Republic of Congo said on Saturday that the M23 rebel group's retreat from a town east of Goma was "sham", warning that the group is deploying the units in other strongholds.

Earlier this year, the M23 forces took control of vast territories in North Kivu province and continued advancement to areas near Goma.

On Friday the group handed over the town of Kibumba to an East African military force recently deployed in the republic.

The rebels, in a ceremony to deliver the town, called it a "goodwill gesture done in the name of peace".

The head of the East African force, Jeff Nyagah, told journalists that the rebel group will retreat to Mount Sabyinyo, which borders the DR with Uganda and Rwanda.

The country's army said that confrontations with M23 took place on Friday in Virunga National Park, warning that reinforcements belonging to the group arrived to the vicinity of west Goma in preparations to storm the city.

The democratic republic blames Rwanda for supporting M23, while the US and France, and other western countries agree with this accusation, despite its African neighbor denying the allegations.

AFP said on Thursday, on claims that it has seen a report filed by independent experts for the UNSC, that the experts also pointed fingers towards Rwanda for backing the rebel group, accusing the African country of sending troops to fight alongside M23 and supplying the rebels with arms and other military equipment.