DR Congo On The Brink Of War

DR Congo 'On Brink Of Major Conflict' -- Al Jazeera

Head of UN mission in Congo says peacekeeping force is "urgently needed" to combat armed rebel groups in country's east.

Democratic Republic of Congo's resource-rich east is again on the brink of a major conflict, a senior UN official warned as he urged the UN Security Council to urgently approve plans for a peace enforcement unit to combat armed rebel groups.

Roger Meece, head of the UN mission in Congo known as MONUSCO, told the Security Council that the creation of a peace enforcement unit within the peacekeeping force - which would be a new move for the UN - was an "urgently needed and important response to the existing situation on the ground".

Peace enforcement missions allow the use of lethal force in serious combat situations, while peacekeeping operations are intended to support and monitor an already existing ceasefire, diplomats and UN officials say.

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Update: U.N. Says Congo Again on Brink, Peacekeepers Need to Combat Rebels -- New York Times/Reuters

My Comment: This conflict has been ongoing for decades .... and it looks like it will continue for decades more.

Peace Talks Between The DR Congo Government And Rebels Are On The Verge Of Breaking Down

M23 Rebels Threaten To Quit DR Congo Talks Over Ceasefire -- BBC

The M23 rebel group has threatened to pull out of peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo government unless President Joseph Kabila signs a ceasefire agreement.

Talks are due to start in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Friday.

A DRC government spokesman told the Reuters news agency it rejected a rebel demand he described as "pointless".

A first attempt to negotiate an end to the nine-month rebellion in the east of the country failed last month.

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More News On the Conflict In Eastern DR Congo

DRC, M23 Peace Talks to Resume in Uganda Friday -- Voice of America
Congo rebels demand government sign ceasefire for talks -- Reuters
Congo-Kinshasa: M23 Rebels Set Terms for Resumption of Talks -- allAfrica.com
DRC peace mission dispels rebel rumors -- UPI
U.S. Treasury Places Sanctions on Armed Groups in Congo -- Wall Street Journal
2 DRC militant groups subject to sanctions -- UPI
US targets armed groups operating in DR Congo -- Global Times
Rwandan rebels linked to DRC violence -- UPI
Uganda's hidden role in Congo's conflict -- Deutsche Welle

Security Council Imposes Sanctions On Two DR Congo Rebel Groups

UN Slaps Sanctions On DR Congo Rebels -- Al Jazeera

Security Council blacklists two rebel groups -M23 and FDLR - responsible for war crimes in conflict-ravaged eastern DRC.

The United Nations Security Council has slapped an arms embargo on M23 rebels and their alleged Rwandan allies, the FDLR, amid a flare-up of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern region.

The council committee tasked with monitoring sanctions on the Congo also imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on two key M23 figures: the group's civilian leader Jean-Marie Runiga Lugerero and Lieutenant Colonel Eric Badege, a commander suspected of being responsible for the deaths of women and children.

The decision came just hours before Rwanda was set to join the council as a non-permanent member on Tuesday.

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More News On The Security Council Imposing Sanctions On Two DR Congo Rebel Groups

Rebel groups hit with U.N. sanctions over eastern Congo -- Reuters
DR Congo M23 rebels placed under UN sanctions -- BBC
U.N. Security Council imposes arms embargo on Congo rebels -- L.A. Times
UN hits DR Congo rebels with sanctions -- The Australian
UN imposes sanctions on DRC rebels -- Deutsche Welle
UN Sanctions DR Congo M23 Rebels -- RTT
DR Congo welcomes sanctions against rebels -- AFP
East DR Congo militia wants to join peace talks -- AFP
Congo Fighting Leaves A Fragile City On Edge -- NPR

Fears Of New Violence In Congo

Image: Rebels have been mobilizing in Masisi, north of Goma. The New York Times

Troops Mass In Fought-Over City, Raising Fear Of New Violence In Congo -- New York Times

NAIROBI, Kenya — Hundreds of troops from opposing sides have been moving into new positions around Goma, a strategic, contested city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, aid organizations said Sunday, raising worries of yet another explosion of violence.

Witnesses reported that truckloads of Rwandan soldiers recently crossed the border and were camped within 20 miles of Goma, which was captured last month and briefly occupied by a rebel force called the M23 movement. United Nations officials confirmed a sudden military buildup around Goma but said that they did not know the identities of the various groups of soldiers.

“It feels a bit like a boiling kettle, about to blow up,” said Thierry Goffeau, the leader of the mission in Goma for the aid organization Doctors Without Borders.

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More News On The Continuing Conflict In DR Congo

Congo President Kabila Wants Stronger UN Force to Fight Rebels -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Congo’s president vows reforms, calls on country to mobilize against aggression -- Washington Post/AP
Congo's Kabila says plans initiative to unite country -- Reuters
DR Congo leader says defence top priority -- AFP
Congo rebel group wants president to resign according to list of demands shown to AP -- Washington Post/AP
Uganda: UPDF Will Only Enter Congo to Fight ADF- Aronda -- allAfrica.com
More than 900,000 displaced in east DR Congo -- Capital FM
DR Congo fighting 'sees refugee numbers rise' -- BBC
Group: Refugees in eastern DRC increasing -- UPI
Rwanda schemed M23 rebellion for its benefit - UN expert -- Africa Review
A Timeline of 50 Years of Conflict in the D.R. of Congo -- Global Voices

A Look At The Many Rebel Factions In DR Congo

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

DR Congo's Rebel Kaleidoscope -- BBC

While the M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have dominated headlines in recent months, they are just one of more than two dozen armed groups fighting in this resource-rich region.

A new report by the aid agency Oxfam, published along with a remarkable map, shows that the recent unrest in Goma - a strategically important trading city - is just the tip of an iceberg of human suffering.

The M23 rebels, named after a 23 March 2009 failed peace agreement that they claim to want to implement, captured Goma nearly two weeks ago, before withdrawing with their loot to positions just outside the city at the weekend.

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My Comment: With more than 25 rebel factions operating in just two provinces of eastern DR Congo: North and South Kivu, it is easy to understand why this region is in so much chaos.

DR Congo Troops Re-Enter Goma. M23 Rebels Nearby

Congolese Troops Enter Goma -- Voice of America

Democratic Republic of Congo troops have returned to the eastern city of Goma, although rebels who occupied the city for nearly two weeks remain close by.

Reports from the area said about 600 army troops entered Goma Monday, while government officials also started to return.

​​The M23 rebel group pulled out of the city on Saturday after the brokering of a regional peace deal.

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More News On The War In Eastern Congo

Congo army returns to Goma as M23 demand negotiations -- BBC
Congo back in charge of Goma, U.N. fingers Rwanda again -- Reuters
DR Congo army returns to Goma -- Al Jazeera
Congo army troops return to Goma as rebels remain close -- FOX News/AP
Rwanda, Uganda helped DR Congo rebel offensive: UN experts -- AFP
Rwanda, Uganda helped Congo rebels -- The Australian
Congo's M23 rebels wait for 48-hour deadline to expire -- FOX News/AP
Situation tense in eastern DRC -- UPI
Goma residents fear renewed conflict -- Deutsche Welle
Congo rebels' withdrawal from Goma 'purely tactical', say analysts -- The Guardian
What Does the M23 Want? -- Melanie Gouby, Daily Beast

The Fight For Congo`s Mineral Wealth

Inside The Clash For Congo's Mineral Wealth -- Geoffrey York, New York Times

A few hours after rebel fighters swept into Goma last week, a mysterious convoy of six trucks rumbled up to the Rwandan border on the edge of the city. They were loaded with “conflict minerals” – including tin and tantalum – from warehouses in Goma.

The potholed streets of this sprawling, refugee-filled city, built on volcanic rock, were largely empty. Most people were huddled inside their shacks or high-walled compounds as the rebels seized the city. But at about 5:30 p.m., just before the frontier closed, the trucks reached the border and the guards allowed them to cross from Congo into Rwanda.

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My Comment: When it comes to mercenary groups like M23 and their supporters outside ..... it always comes down to the money.

M23 rebels Begin Withdrawal From The Congo City Of Goma

Rebels Begin Withdrawal In Eastern DR Congo -- Al Jazeera

M23 spokesman says the group is doing a phased pullout from territory they have captured, starting south of Goma.

Rebels in eastern DR Congo say they have started withdrawing from territory they have captured from government troops, days after a pullout deal was reached in neighbouring Uganda.

Amani Kabashi, deputy spokesman for the M23 group, told Al Jazeera that rebels were starting to withdraw from the town of Mushake, 50km south of the provincial capital, Goma, on Wednesday.

Diplomatic efforts to end violence in eastern Congo have been ongoing since the M23 group captured Goma in fighting with Congolese troops and advanced across the east of the country last week. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting between government troops and the rebels.

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More News On The Conflict Between M23 And DR Congo

Congo Rebels Begin Slow Retreat From Masisi -- ABC News/AP
Congo Rebels Pledge to Leave Goma By Friday -- Voice of America
Congo rebels to withdraw from Goma but ‘protect’ key city -- Globe and Mail
Congo Rebels Prepare Goma Withdrawal as U.S. Presses Rwanda -- Bloomberg Businessweek
DRC Government Accuses M23 of Scores of Murders -- Voice of America
UN condemns Congo rebels, demands halt to fighting -- AP
AU Demands Humanitarian Access in Congo -- Voice of America
Uncertainty Takes Toll on Civilians in Eastern DRC -- Voice of America
Congo war exposes folly of western aid -- The Guardian
Congo War Stems From Minerals, Ethnic Animosity -- New York Times/AP

A Look At The U.N. Debacle In Congo

Defining Peacekeeping Downward: The U.N. Debacle in Eastern Congo -- Jessica Hatcher and Alex Perry, Time

At 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, one of the few tanks belonging to the M23 rebels of eastern Congo fired a single round into the international airport on the outskirts of Goma, the second biggest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The townspeople, who looked up to see the first of 1,000 or so guerrillas marching on the city, began walking and running toward the city center, carrying their children and anything else they could. After a short while they were overtaken — by two large trucks packed with foreign soldiers from the U.N. peacekeeping force for Congo, Monusco. Mandated to protect Congo’s civilians, with 19,000 men in uniform and costing $1.4 billion a year, the world’s biggest and most expensive peacekeeping operation was literally leaving its charges in its dust. Later in the day Monusco, far better armed and more numerous than the rebels, simply stood and watched as the M23 — easterners who oppose the central government in Kinshasa — took Goma almost without firing a shot. France called Monusco’s conduct “absurd.” The Congolese were less forgiving.

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My Comment: Calling this a debacle is an understatement. The United Nations is clearly not an organization built for peacekeeping or providing security to civilians trapped in a war zone.

M23 Rebels Refuse To Leave The Congo City Of Goma

DRC Rebels Hesitate On Plans To Withdraw From Goma -- Voice of America

GOMA, DRC — The political leader of the M23 rebel movement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo said the group is ready to withdraw from the city of Goma if Congolese President Joseph Kabila meets their conditions. It is still not clear, however, if the rebels truly intend to leave the city.

A week after the M23 rebels took control of Goma with little resistance from the Congolese army, the group's president, Jean-Marie Runiga, said they are now willing to withdraw their military force.

But, as he told reporters Tuesday in the city, they still want Kabila to meets their demands, which includes the release of political prisoners and a national dialogue with the opposition.

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More News On The War Between DR Congo And M23

Conflict Escalates in the Eastern Congo -- The Atlantic
Congo rebels refuse to quit captured city of Goma -- CNN
M23 rebels will not leave Congo city of Goma; army calls it a “declaration of war” -- Washington Post/AP
Congo rebels stay in Goma as withdrawal deadline expires -- CBC/AP
Rebels patrol in Congo city as deadline passes -- AP
Congo Rebels Given More Time to Pull Out of Goma -- Wall Street Journal
M23 rebels set conditions for Goma exit -- Al Jazeera
Congo rebels set conditions for Goma withdrawal -- Reuters
Congolese Rebels Issue Conditions for Withdrawal From Goma -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Congo rebels surround central bank in Goma -- The Guardian
Congo crisis: a deal with rebels, then maybe no deal -- Christian Science Monitor
Congo war stems from minerals, ethnic animosity -- Pete Jones, AP
Why the world is ignoring Congo war -- Vava Tampa, Special to CNN
A look at the issues and players in Congo’s resurgent conflict -- Washington Post/AP

A Good Explanation On Why The M23 Rebels In DR Congo Are Winning

Rebels Run Riot Over Chunk Of Africa -- The Australian/AFP

HOW could a rebel band that started with just a few hundred men take over a huge chunk of Africa's biggest country, set presidents against each other and leave the UN reeling?

Easily when it is the Democratic Republic of Congo, say analysts and diplomats, who blame a corrupt and disappearing army, alleged meddling by neighbouring Rwanda and a UN force with its wrists tied.

In just one week, M23 rebels have taken over most of DR Congo's North Kivu province, an area twice the size of Belgium and rich in diamonds, precious metals and minerals.

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My Comment: The best explanation that I have read so far on why the M23 rebels are winning the war in DR Congo.

The Congo War Is Expanding

That Other War -- Anjan Sundaram, Foreign Policy

The bloody conflict you didn't read about this week is in Congo, and it threatens to redraw the map of Africa.

KIGALI, Rwanda — One of Congo's biggest eastern cities fell to a powerful rebel force on Tuesday, Nov. 20, in a war that may redefine the region but has produced little political action by the United Nations, the United States, and international powers that heavily support neighboring governments -- notably Rwanda, a Western darling and aid recipient -- that are backing the violence, according to U.N. experts. The fighting has displaced nearly 1 million people since the summer, and the battle for the city of Goma marks the latest episode of a long struggle by Rwandan-backed rebels to take control of a piece of the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- a struggle the rebels are now decisively winning. The fighting has also highlighted the ineptitude of the United Nations mission, one of the world's largest and most expensive, charged with keeping Congo's peace.

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My Comment: The reality on what happened this week cannot be hidden .... the Congo military collapsed, and the UN was completely ineffective in blunting the rebel assault. The only thing that is stopping the rebels from moving forward is that they are too few in numbers, and the country is too large for them to conquer. I expect them to now consolidate their positions, and to then seek an agreement that would give them effective control of the eastern part of the country.

Congo Rebels Vow To Take Over The Country

Congo Rebels, After Victory, Vow To Take The Capital -- New York Times

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — No visa is necessary to cross this border anymore. Nor do red-eyed soldiers hang around reeking of home-brew. Gone, too, are many of the quasi-government officials who used to buzz around this border post harassing travelers and squeezing out bribes, including one little man who claimed to be a health officer and had “Doc” scribbled in Magic Marker on his coat.

Instead, the doorway to Goma, one of Congo’s largest and most strategic cities, is now manned by lean, young rebels in crisp fatigues. They captured this town on Tuesday, ridding it of an often sloppy and menacing Congolese Army presence, and on Wednesday the rebels announced at a triumphant rally that Goma was just the beginning.

“We’re going to Kinshasa!” vowed Col. Vianney Kazarama, a spokesman for the M23 rebel group.

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More News On The Conflict In The Congo

Rebels threaten wider Democratic Republic of Congo conflict -- CNN
M23 rebels vow to take Congo, as troops defect -- AP
Rebels pledge to 'liberate' Congo after seizing city -- NBC
Congo conflict: Rebels set sights on capital Kinshasa -- Toronto Star
DRC Rebels Vow to Overthrow Government -- Voice of America
UN Warns of ‘External Support’ of DRC Rebels -- Voice of America
U.N. defends failed attempt to halt capture of Congo's Goma -- Reuters
Women and children flee Democratic Republic of Congo after rebels invade Goma -- CNN
DR Congo General sold arms to rebel groups: U.N. report -- Reuters
UN Report: Rwanda Commanding Congo Rebel Force -- AP
UN Forces Reinforced in Goma -- Voice of America
Congo rebellion stretching peacekeeping force -- FOX News/AP
Led by Rwanda, Congo army mutiny became well-armed revolt-UN experts -- Reuters
Congo Army Prepares Response as Goma Fall ‘Threatens’ Kabila -- Bloomberg Businessweek
East African leaders tell rebels to quit Goma -- Al Jazeera
Congo's rebels seek to nurture popular movement -- Reuters
Congo: Will the U.N. take action against rebels' backers? -- Michelle Nichols, Christian Science Monitor
Goma's fall: Could UN troops in Congo have done more to prevent it? -- Mike Pflanz, Christian Science Monitor
UN Condemns Rebels Wreaking Havoc in Congo; US Shields Rwanda's Role -- Evelyn Leopold, Huffington Post

The Congo City Of Goma Has Fallen To Rebel Forces Backed By Rwanda

Congo Rebels Take Key City of Goma -- Wall Street Journal

KAMPALA, Uganda—Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday seized the eastern city of Goma, dealing a stinging blow to the Congolese government and United Nations peacekeepers based in the commercial hub.

The fall of Goma, which also serves as the de facto capital for many humanitarian aid agencies operating in the region, marks a decisive shift in restive eastern Congo. The fighting between government troops and rebels, who allegedly draw support from eastern neighbors Rwanda and Uganda, threatens to engulf one of Africa's largest countries in renewed conflict.

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More News On M23 Rebels Capturing The Congo City Of Goma

Congo rebels seize eastern city as UN forces look on -- Reuters
Congo Rebels Seize Eastern City of Goma as Thousands Flee -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Aid workers, civilians flee as rebels take key DR Congo city -- Christian Science Monitor
Congo rebels take Goma with little resistance and to little cheer -- The Guardian

Goma falls to Congo rebels -- The Guardian
Congolese rebels seize Goma, take airport -- AP
Congo rebels occupy key city of Goma -- L.A. Times
Congo Rebels Enter Provincial Capital, Reports Say -- New York Times
Rebels seize control of Goma amid clashes in Democratic Republic of Congo -- CNN
UN: Congo Peacekeepers Won't Start Firefight -- ABC News/AP
Rwanda-Congo deja vu? History repeats itself, again, in latest fighting in Congo -- Washington Post/AP
Congo’s Eastern Rebels Seize Goma: Will Rwanda Then Take Over? -- Alex Perry, Time
Rebel fighters in the DR Congo enter Goma, threatening wider conflict -- Christian Science Monitor

Breaking News: The Congo City Of Goma Has Fallen To The Rebels

Goma Falls To Congo Rebels -- The Guardian

M23 militia, which the UN says is backed by Rwanda, takes control of eastern city despite presence of peacekeepers.


Rebel fighters have seized a major city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo after the national army fled and UN peacekeepers offered no resistance.

The militia group M23, allegedly backed by neighbouring Rwanda, marched into the city of 1 million people on Tuesday morning after days of clashes.

Scores of heavily armed rebels walked through the city unchallenged as UN peacekeepers watched and small groups of residents greeted them.

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Update #1: Congo rebels claim control of city as Rwanda tensions rise -- Reuters
Update #2: Rebels seize control of Goma amid clashes in Democratic Republic of Congo -- CNN
Update #3: Congolese rebels seize Goma, take airport -- AP

My Comment: This is a significant victory for the rebels. This is a breaking news story that we will be updating later in the day.

Heavy Fighting Reported In Eastern Congo

New Fighting After DRC Rejects Rebel Demand for Talks -- Voice of America

New fighting has broken out near the Congolese city of Goma, after the Democratic Republic of Congo government dismissed a demand for peace talks from rebel group M23.

Heavy weapons fire was reported Monday on the outskirts of Goma.

An M23 spokesman, Vianney Kazarama said that the rebel group controls the northeastern part of Goma. The city is the capital of Congo's North Kivu province.

There also are reports of firing along the DRC's border with Rwanda. The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting M23, which Rwanda repeatedly has denied.

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More News On Congo's Civil War In The Eastern Part of The Country

DR Congo rejects M23 rebels' ultimatum to leave Goma -- BBC
Congo rejects rebels' truce talks proposal -- Christian Science Monitor
Congo rejects rebel demand for talks: spokesman -- Reuters
Congo rebels set 24-hour deadline for talks with government -- Reuters
Civilians flee Goma as UN fails to halt advance of Congolese rebel soldiers -- Sydney Morning Herald
New fighting as DR. Congo rejects rebel ultimatum -- AFP
DRC Minister: Army Controls Goma Despite Reported Rebel Advances -- Voice of America
Congo rebels advance to outskirts of Goma -- Reuters
Rebels in Congo Reach Door of Goma -- New York Times/AP
Congo rebels, army clash at Goma's edge - Bloomberg Businessweek
International Hand-Wringing over the Eastern Congo -- John Campbell, Council On Foreign Relations

Rebels Advance In The DR Congo

DR Congo M23 Rebels Advance On Goma In North Kivu -- BBC

Rebels in eastern DR Congo have advanced to within a few kilometres of the provincial capital, Goma.

The M23 rebels say they have no plans to take the city but residents fear it could fall at any moment.

The UN Security Council this weekend condemned rebel attacks and demanded an end to outside support for the group, noting they were well equipped.

UK Foreign Minister William Hague has condemned the M23 advance and urged British citizens to leave Goma.

"Any British nationals in Goma should leave, and any in DRC should check the FCO's updated travel advice," he said.

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More News On Rebel Advances In Eastern Congo

Congo Rebels Advancing on Major City -- New York Times
Fighting in eastern Congo between M23 rebels and army moves toward Goma, airport -- FOX News/AP
Congo rebels advance to outskirts of Goma -- The Guardian
Congo rebels advance to outskirts of Goma -- Reuters
Congo rebels advance to the gates of Goma -- Reuters
Congo Rebels Advance as UN Deploys Helicopters -- Epoch Times
Congo Army, Rebels Clash Near Goma -- Wall Street Journal
Rebel group advances in eastern Congo, witnesses say, nearing regional capital -- CNN
DR Congo Rebels Advance to Goma Outskirts -- Voice of America
UN troops continue support to DR Congo army as rebels advance on Goma -- UN News Centre
UN vows peacekeepers will stay in Congo -- The Australian

U.N. Report: Rwanda And Uganda Are Arming The Rebels In Congo

Rwandan Minister Commands Congo Rebels, Says UN Report -- The Guardian

Report says Rwanda sends direct orders – as well as arms – to M23 insurgents in east of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda's defence minister is commanding M23 rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a UN report that also accuses Rwanda and Uganda of arming the group and sending troops to help it launch a deadly attack on UN peacekeepers.

The UN security council's group of experts say in a confidential report that Rwanda and Uganda – despite their strong denials – continue to support M23 rebels in their six-month fight against Congolese government troops in North Kivu province.

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More News On The UN Report That Rwanda And Uganda Support Congo's Rebel Movements

DRC Demands Uganda Explain Role in N. Kivu -- Voice of America
Congo demands sanctions on Rwanda, Uganda over rebels -- Reuters
Rwanda 'guiding rebels in Congo' according to UN report -- The Australian
Exclusive: Mineral traders in Rwanda helping fund Congo rebels - U.N. panel -- Reuters
UN experts say Rwanda and Uganda backing DR Congo -- AFP
Rwanda commands M23 rebels in neighboring Congo, UN says -- Global Post
Rwanda and Uganda supplying Congo rebels with weapons, says UN -- The Telegraph
Rwanda wins UN Security Council seat amid Congo arms claims -- The Telegraph
Rwanda joins UN security council despite damning Congo report -- The Guardian
Rwanda elected to UN Security Council amid investigation of its role in Congo rebellion -- Washington Post/AP
Rwanda wins Security Council seat as new report blasts support for Congo mutineers -- Foreign Policy
Fuelling the DR Congo conflict -- Al Jazeera
Insight: Ethnic, economic interests entangle Rwanda in Congo -- Reuters

Child Soldiers Still Being Used In The Congo Rebellion

Report: Congo Mutiny Using Child Soldiers -- Voice of America

NAIROBI -- Human Rights Watch says a renegade general is forcibly recruiting child soldiers to support his mutiny in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

HRW's new report says at least 149 boys and young men between the ages of 12 and 20 have been forcibly recruited to fight alongside soldiers loyal to Bosco Ntaganda, a former rebel leader who is already wanted by the International Criminal Court for recruiting children as a deputy commander in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), an armed political group that fought in northern Congo during the country's civil war.

The report says at least seven have died in battle.

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More News On The Use Of Child Soldiers In The Congo

Congo ex-general said to be recruiting child soldiers again -- Washington Times/AP
Congo ex-warlord in hiding as his former fighters lead mutiny from country’s military -- Washington Post/AP
Congo 'Terminator' still forcing youngsters to fight, says HRW -- BBC
Congo: General Indicted in ’03 for Using Child Soldiers Is at It Again, Report Says -- New York Times/AP
Report: Congo mutineer forces 149 more boys, young men to fight -- L.A. Times
DR. Congo warlord 'recruiting child soldiers' -- AFP
Teenagers fighting in Congo -- UPI

Expected Military Offensive In Eastern Congo Could Displace 100,000

UN-Backed Congolese Army Drive Could Displace 100,000 People, Analysts Warn -- The Guardian

Push by 5,400 DRC troops into remote areas targets Rwandan Hutu rebel group and remnants of Joseph Kony's LRA.

UN peacekeeping troops are backing a Congolese army drive against jungle-based rebel groups that is expected to displace at least 100,000 people and trigger a new wave of instability and human rights abuses across war-ravaged eastern Congo, aid workers and independent analysts have warned.

The new offensive by 5,400 troops of the Democratic Republic of Congo army (FARDC), largely unreported until now, began in South Kivu province, bordering Rwanda and Burundi, on 15 February and is being extended into North Kivu, bordering Uganda, this month.

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My Comment: After years of war and suffering .... with millions of casualties .... this conflict may be finally "sputtering" to an end.