M23 fighters captured Kavumu airport near Bukavu, DRC, a strategic military position. This advance faced minimal resistance, coinciding with the upcoming African Union summit. President Tshisekedi is in Germany seeking international support while the conflict escalates, displacing about 350,000 people. Protests in Kinshasa reflect public unrest over perceived foreign interference amidst the crisis.
M23 fighters have reportedly seized control of Kavumu airport in Bukavu, South Kivu province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This airport, mainly utilized for humanitarian and military flights and where DRC forces were stationed, represented the final major military hurdle the rebels needed to overcome before reaching Bukavu, home to over one million residents and located approximately 30 kilometers away.
The M23 advance was met with little resistance, as significant Congolese military forces vacated the area. Reports indicate that the rebels also captured Katana, situated about 11 kilometers from the airport. The timing of this takeover is significant, occurring just prior to the African Union summit set to begin in Ethiopia.
Conflict in the DRC remains a primary agenda item for the African Union summit, with President Felix Tshisekedi initially expected to attend. However, reports now suggest that Congo’s Prime Minister will represent the country instead, as Tshisekedi is attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany to garner global support.
Earlier, the M23 coalition declared a unilateral ceasefire but resumed hostilities within two days. Moussa Faki Mahamat, the African Union’s outgoing chair, emphasized the importance of respecting any ceasefire, stating, “military campaigns are not going to solve these problems.”
The M23’s recent military operations follow a rapid offensive launched in late January, which resulted in the capture of Goma, North Kivu’s capital. The rebels have since shifted their focus southward toward Bukavu, which they consider strategically significant. The ongoing conflict has led to the displacement of approximately 350,000 individuals, prompting the UN Refugee Agency to describe the situation as sharply deteriorating.
Following the fall of Goma, protests broke out in DRC’s capital, Kinshasa, where demonstrators targeted UN facilities and embassies, driven by perceived foreign interference in the country’s affairs.
The seizure of Kavumu airport by M23 fighters marks a critical point in the DRC conflict, escalating tensions ahead of the African Union summit. With President Tshisekedi focused on international diplomacy, the humanitarian crisis exacerbated by this conflict is in urgent need of attention. The situation highlights the complexities of military and diplomatic strategies involved in resolving the ongoing violence in eastern DRC.
Original Source: www.aljazeera.com
