M23 rebels backed by Rwanda have occupied Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after a rapid advance south over the past few days.
Friday saw M23 rebels advance into the Kazingu and Bagira areas, moving towards the city center, where sounds of gunfire rocked the streets. Meeting little resistance, the rebels’ advance was seen sending panicked civilians scurrying as shops closed down. Bukavu had fallen to deserting soldiers in 2004, and its fall would place M23 in control of the entire Lake Kivu area.
Hours short of their arrival at Bukavu, M23 occupied the airport of Kavumu, an important military post. In similar speedy attack last month, rebels seized Goma, North Kivu province’s capital, The rebels seized Kabamba and Katana Thursday and closed off the N2 highway as they marched south.
Airport officials confirmed that the facility was deserted, with Congolese troops pulling out equipment and aircraft. Soldiers were subsequently observed pulling back towards Bukavu on motorbikes and trucks carrying supplies. Corneille Nangaa, the head of the Congo River Alliance a bloc that includes M23 made a defense of the rebels, stating they were being attacked and were simply fighting back.
In the meantime, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi attended the Munich Security Conference in an effort to gather international support, while Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka represented the nation at the African Union summit in Ethiopia, centered on ending the conflict.
The intensifying bloodshed has sent 350,000 people on the run and deepened the humanitarian crisis with the UN counting the loss of 70,000 emergency shelters. There have been allegations Rwanda supports M23 to tap DRC’s riches in minerals that Kigali rejects.
Adding to the mayhem, prominent singer Delphin Katembo Vinywasiki, better known as Delcat Idengo, was assassinated in Goma while a music video was being shot. His killing, which was condemned as “abominable” by the Congolese authorities, is under investigation.
