UN peacekeepers locked in 'intense' fighting against M23 rebels in DRC

The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) said that its peacekeepers are "engaged" in "intense" fighting against M23 rebels, who have almost encircled the main city in the country's east.

MONUSCO's Quick Reaction Forces (QRF) have "been actively engaged in intense combat," the UN said in a statement on Friday, adding that "over the past 48 hours, MONUSCO heavy artillery fire carried out fire missions against M23 positions".

"The mission reports that heavy clashes are ongoing for the control of Sake. MONUSCO is conducting day and night joint patrols with the Congolese armed forces, and they also supported the deployment of Congolese forces to reduce the threat to civilian populations," UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.

"Unfortunately, during these clashes, nine UN peacekeepers were injured. They're currently receiving medical treatment."

Haq said clashes between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group have led to "significant" new displacement of civilians in and around Goma, and added since the beginning of January, more than 35,000 people fleeing violence in Masisi have sought refuge in displacement sites in Goma.

Earlier in the day, M23 rebels, the group made up primarily of Tutsis, said Major General Peter Cirimwami, governor of North Kivu, was killed as they advanced through eastern DRC.

The UK, US and France urged citizens to leave the main city of Goma in the country's volatile east, warning the situation could deteriorate rapidly.

Since peace talks failed, the rebel group that DRC and UN says are backed by Rwandan troops has gained swathes of territory in mineral-rich eastern DRC in recent weeks, triggering a humanitarian crisis and ringing the provincial capital, which is home to a million people.

Regional war nightmare

The United Nations warned the raging conflict in the North Kivu province had displaced over 400,000 people this year and could spark a regional war.

"The number of displacements is now over 400,000 people this year alone, almost double the number reported last week," Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), told a news briefing in Geneva on Friday.

Saltmarsh said the UNHCR is "gravely concerned about the safety and security of civilians and internally displaced people" in the east.

"Heavy bombardments caused families from at least nine displacement sites on the periphery of Goma to flee into the city to seek safety and shelter," he said, adding that many were living rough.

UN chief Antonio Guterres was "alarmed by the resumption of hostilities", his spokesperson said in a statement.

The DRC requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, relayed by France, the AFP news agency learned on Friday from diplomatic sources, but a date wasn't set.

Clashes took place all day just 20 kilometres from Goma, where cuts to mobile and internet networks, as well as electricity, were frequent.

The M23 was also present in the town of Sake on Friday, according to a military source. Sake, about 20 kilometres west of Goma, witnessed intense fighting the previous day.

Turkish mediation offer

Medical teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross treated more than 70 wounded people at the hospital in Goma on Thursday.

Civilians have been fleeing the fighting since Thursday, travelling on foot to the centre of Goma. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis have so far failed.

In December, a meeting between President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame as part of an Angola-led peace process was cancelled due to a lack of agreement.

Türkiye, which is very active across Africa and one of the main mediators, offered on Thursday to lead a DRC-Rwanda mediation.

A half-dozen ceasefires and truces have already been declared in the region, then broken, with the last ceasefire signed at the end of July.

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Source: TRT