M23 captures new DRC town on border with Uganda

M23 rebels have entered the town of Kamandi Gîte near the border with Uganda, in yet a new set back for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Forced displacement were observed in the wake of the town’s fall to the hands of the rebels, according to local media.

The DRC has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels. The new M23 inroad came as talks were being held between DRC and Rwandan officials with Angolan mediation.

The rebels have taken large parts in the mineral-rich east DRC since they have launched their offensive in 2021.

The country’s mineral wealth, estimated at $25 trillion, has yet to be tapped into due to corruption and instability in the country’s east, where different rebellions are ongoing, notably that led by the M23 movement.

The DRC, the UN and Western countries accuse Rwanda of supporting rebel groups, including M23, in a bid to control the region’s vast mineral resources, an allegation Kigali denies.