That was according to Reuters sources on Wednesday. Uvira is an important base for the DRC army near the border with Burundi. Since February, it has served as the headquarters of the Kinshasa-appointed government in South Kivu province. That’s after the provincial capital, Bukavu, fell to M23. Uvira has also served as the regional military base, and seizure of the town could allow the rebels to press on beyond South Kivu.
M23’s advance comes less than a week after DRC and Rwanda affirmed their commitment to a United States-brokered peace deal. Since then, the two countries have accused each other of violating that agreement.
Rwanda denies backing M23 in DRC, saying its troops are in eastern DRC for “defensive measures. However, Washington and the United Nations (UN) say evidence of Rwandan support for the rebels is clear. Many local people said the new development signaled deepening insecurity. This Kinshasa resident said the fighting in Uvira felt like the beginning of a chain reaction that could eventually reach the capital. The UN says some 200 000 people have fled their homes in recent days and scores of civilians have been killed.
On Wednesday, it was not clear whether M23 had full control of Uvira. A DRC government source told Reuters that the military would not react, in order to protect civilians.
–Reuters–
