Thirteen foreign soldiers died during fighting in the conflict area in eastern Congo. International press agencies report this. Several of them were part of the Peace Mission of the United Nations, who, together with troops from Congo, fights against the armed anti -regulation group M23. The soldiers came from South Africa, Malawi and Uruguay.
The rebel group M23, supported by Rwanda, won site in Congo in recent weeks. They would now have almost completely surrounded the capital of the province of North Kivu, Goma. That city has a million inhabitants and at least as many displaced persons. According to the Ministry of South Africa, the troops have succeeded in stopping the advance from the M23 to Goma.
The UN Security Council will meet on Sunday for an emergency meeting about the situation. The UN also said that non-essential staff, such as administrative staff, temporarily relocate from Goma. “Essential staff remains on the spot to continue crucial operations such as food distribution, medical assistance, shelter and protection for vulnerable communities,” the UN said. The UN peace mission has been present in Congo for more than two decades, where around 14,000 peace groups have been stationed. Congo announced on Saturday that it immediately retreats all diplomats from Rwanda.
The rebellion of rebel group has been taking three years and has caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the region. In the first weeks of 2025 alone, more than 400,000 people were displaced by the escalation of the violence in the east, according to the UN. UN chef António Guterres said they were ‘alerted’ on Thursday by ordering the violence and ‘in the strongest terms’.
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