M23 Captures Three Towns in Eastern DRC
By Spurb Ernest
The towns of Bweremana, Minova and Kalungu in Kalehe territory in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have fallen into the hands of March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.
During intense fighting with the Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers, mercenaries and militia coalition under their umbrella Wazalendo (patriots), M23 rebels captured Bweremana on Monday night and advanced to Minova on Tuesday.
In Minova town, M23 rebels through their front commander who only identified himself as Colonel Nsabimana held a briefing to civilians who had braved the volatile situation and assured them of security. He also asked others who fled to return.
After capturing Minova, heavy gunfire pitted Kalungu along National Road number two until FARDC and coalition fled towards Kalehe town. Artillery fire also happened in the Mugunga district, in the west of Goma, and the hills overlooking the city of Sake. The gunfire forced schools in the area to suspend operations.
Although Sake remains under the control of the Congolese army, the situation remains volatile. Several schools based in the Mugunga district had to send all children home on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.
The capture of Minova puts Goma City at a higher risk of being attacked by the rebels. But, on Tuesday evening FARDC spokesperson Major General Slyvain Ekenge Bomusa Efomi released a statement calling members of the public to remain calm saying that the army is putting all means to the advance of the rebels.
The latest fierce fighting comes a few days after DR Congo President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo re-affirmed his stand of not negotiating with M23 rebels labeling them terrorists.
Meanwhile, the DRC government has set January 30, 202,5 as the date for the public sale of the real estate assets of the former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), Corneille Nangaa, who became president of the rebel movement Alliance du Rivière Congo (AFC) and was convicted by the courts.
This announcement was made on Monday, by Constant Mutamba the Minister of State in charge of Justice. According to Mutamba, the decision is an execution of two judgments of the Military Court and the High Military Court which last year sentenced Corneille Nangaa to the death penalty for terrorism and crimes against humanity.
The two military court rulings recommended the confiscation of his assets and their sale at auction. Mutamba says that the sum that will be generated from this auction will be used to compensate the victims of the war of aggression imposed by Rwanda on DR Congo.
The conflict between M23 and the Congolese government which began in March 2022, led by Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga has left many parts of North Kivu province in the hands of the rebels. Bisimwa and Makenga in August 2024 allied with the leader of the Alliance Fleuve (River) Congo (AFC) Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, former Country’s electoral commission chairman to amplify the insurgency against the government. The DR Congo government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23, a claim that both Rwanda and M23 deny.
The rebels assert that their fight is against corruption, xenophobia and discrimination within the DR Congo’s leadership.
