CONGO REBELS have taken control of a key town in the east of the country as peace talks fall apart. The M23 rebels, who are supported by Rwanda, have entered Uvira, a town close to the border with Burundi. This is a major development in the ongoing conflict, according to sources who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.
Uvira, located by Lake Tanganyika, has been the main base for the government appointed by Kinshasa in the South Kivu province.
Since the provincial capital, Bukavu, was captured by the M23 rebels in February, Uvira has been their main stronghold. Taking control of Uvira may allow the rebels to move further into the region.
This new development comes just days after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda met with President Donald Trump in Washington and pledged support for a peace deal that the U.S. is helping to negotiate.
However, both countries have since accused each other of breaking the agreement.
Congo’s foreign minister has called on the U.S. to increase targeted sanctions against Rwanda to "restore the credibility" of its role in peace efforts.
Rwanda, which denies supporting the M23 rebels, has instead blamed Congolese troops and Burundi for the renewed fighting.
The situation in Uvira highlights that simply signing agreements in Washington is "not enough to ensure the safety of civilians in eastern Congo," said Lewis Mudge, the Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch.