US faults Rwanda in latest escalation in eastern DRC
The United States government has condemned escalating violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Washington blamed that worsening crisis on M23, an armed group it said is backed by Rwanda.
A statement from the U.S. State Department urged the armed rebels to cease hostilities immediately and pull out of their current positions around Sake and Goma.
The US government also requested Rwanda to immediately withdraw all of its military forces from the DRC and deactivate surface-to-air missile systems, arguing they endanger the lives of people, U.N. and other regional peacekeepers, humanitarian workers, and commercial flights in the eastern DRC.
Rwanda denies assisting the rebels.
The US statement also urged the DRC to continue supporting confidence-building measures, including ceasing cooperation with the armed group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (DFLR).
The raging conflict in the country has displaced many communities, with scores of people killed.
Regional efforts to stem the clashes recently received a boost as South Africa announced it would send 2,900 troops as part of its contribution to a force deployed by the southern African regional bloc, SADC.
