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Residents emerge in DR Congo’s tense Uvira after M23 rebel takeover
US Secretary of State Rubio says Rwanda’s actions in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are a “clear violation” of the peace deal
A cautious calm has settled over the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) city of Uvira in South Kivu province, as residents begin emerging from their homes following its capture by M23 rebels.
The capture earlier this week threatens to derail a United States-brokered peace agreement, signed with much fanfare and overseen by President Donald Trump a week ago, between Congolese and Rwandan leaders, with Washington accusing Rwanda on Friday of igniting the offensive.
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Rwanda’s actions in eastern DRC are a “clear violation” of the peace deal US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday. “The United States will take action to ensure promises made to the president are kept,” he said in a post on X.
Regional authorities say at least 400 civilians, including children, have been killed in the violence that took place between the cities of Bukavu and Uvira, both now under M23 control.
Al Jazeera is the only international broadcaster in Uvira, where correspondent Alain Uaykani on Saturday described an uneasy calm in the port city on the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika, which sits directly across from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.
Uaykani said government and allied militias, known as “Wazalendo”, which had been using the city as a headquarters, began fleeing even before M23 fighters entered.
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