Congolese opposition politician Moise Katumbi has condemned an attack on a rally by AFC/M23 rebels in Bukavu city, in which about a dozen people were killed and about 70 wounded on Thursday, February 27. The leader of Assembly for the Republic party said the use of explosives at the rally attended by tens of thousands of people constituted “an imprescriptible war crime for which those responsible must be held accountable before the courts.” ALSO READ: M23 vows retaliation after explosives kill people at massive rally in Bukavu The rally was called by Corneille Nangaa, the leader of the AFC/M23 rebels who took control of Bukavu on February 15, two weeks after they seized Goma another key city in eastern DR Congo. The M23 rebels blamed the attack on the Congolese government. The Congolese presidency called the explosions a terrorist act perpetrated by a foreign army illegally present on Congolese soil. “Resorting to terrorism can never lead to peace. The bombers and their sponsors must be neutralized,” Katumbi said. “We do not have enough tears to mourn the tragic death of the victims of Bukavu. I strongly denounce the ruthless attack carried out against the civilians gathered in Bukavu at the invitation of the AFC,” he stated. The former Governor of Katanga province in southern Congo urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to intervene and prosecute those responsible. ALSO READ: Bukavu explosives kill 11 people, injure 65 at rally According to Nangaa, the individual responsible for carrying the explosives was among those killed. Addressing the media shortly after the attack, Nangaa urged the people of Bukavu to remain calm, saying that his movement would take care of the wounded. ALSO READ: Explosives at huge M23 meeting in Bukavu kill civilians Bertrand Bisimwa, Nangaa’s deputy, accused neighboring Burundi of involvement, alleging that the explosives used belonged to the Burundian army,” which has troops in South Kivu. Despite losing swathes of territory in the east of the country and growing calls for peace talks, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has remained adamant that negotiations with the rebels are not possible.
