AFRICA/CONGO DR - New bombing on Goma, but the rebels have suffered heavy losses

Thursday, 29 August 2013

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - Still more bombing on Goma, the capital of North Kivu ( eastern Democratic Republic of Congo) where the regular Congolese army, supported by the Brigade for UN intervention, is fighting against the rebels of the M23.
At least two artillery shells hit Goma in the evening of 28 August, say to Fides Agency sources of the local civil society. The shots, one of which crashed near the airport, killing a Tanzanian Blue Helmet and injured at least 22 people. Our sources say that despite the bombing, "the losses inflicted on the M23 are incalculable at a material and human level. We learned that the M23 and its allies of the RDF (Rwanda Defence Forces, the Rwandese army) have lost several men, including officers".
Civil society in North Kivu denounces the support given by the Rwandan army to the M23, saying that strong contingents of Rwandan troops are deployed in two places beyond the border and are preparing to bomb Congolese soldiers to support the M23 on the run.
Civil society in North Kivu also claims that the last artillery fire that hit Goma were fired from the territory of Rwanda. "We learn - says the statement sent to Fides - that Colonel Ninja, a former FDLR ( Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda), now part of the Rwandan regular army, has received the order from the military hierarchy of Rwanda, to launch an assault on Goma. We warn, therefore, government authorities, MONUSCO and diplomatic missions accredited in DRC" to take measures to prevent the offensive. ( L.M. ) (Agenzia Fides 29/08/2013 )


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