Reports indicate that several members of the police force in Congo have switched sides, joining the M23 rebel group that invaded parts of the country weeks ago.
- Police officers in Congo have joined the M23 rebel group.
- M23 rebels captured the city of Bukavu in eastern Congo.
- The international community and the United Nations have called for a ceasefire.
The officers are reported to have been jubilating in the occupied Congolese town of Bukavu after joining the party that took control of the city, as seen on Reuters.
Clashes in eastern Congo persisted on Thursday as M23 rebels advanced toward Bukavu in South Kivu province.
The M23 rebels would eventually storm into Bukavu the second city the group would be capturing in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Congolese soldiers retreated without a fight, leaving a city that had been shattered by theft and violence.
According to M23, it is fighting for the rights of Congo’s Tutsis and other Kinyarwanda speakers.
However, the Congolese government claims that the group and Rwanda, which has been accussed of backing the rebels, are more interested in taking advantage of its abundant mineral riches, which include tantalum, tungsten, tin, and gold.
The economic advantages of Congo’s abundant natural resources are limited since a large portion of them are smuggled into neighboring nations.
However, S&P pointed out that the immediate economic impact on Congo is still negligible because the fighting-affected region only accounts for a small percentage of the country’s official revenue and growth.
Currently, Lawrence Kanyuka, a spokesperson for the AFC rebel alliance that includes the M23, noted that an estimated 1,800 police officers in the area have laid down their weapons and are en route for retraining with a further 500 more due to do so.
As per the Reuters report, Locals have expressed concern about this new development.
The rebel’s arrival in Bukavu “has paralyzed the entire life of the whole area, even if some activities are resuming in different ways”, said resident Josue Kayeye. “We cannot applaud anything done by force.”
The international community has called for a ceasefire, but the rebels have continued their advance.
Furthermore, the United Nations has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, which Rwanda has denied.
