The AFC/M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo are closing in on Uvira, the second largest city in South Kivu province following a week of fighting with the government coalition. The rebels, who have controlled the provincial capital Bukavu for 10 months, launched a renewed campaign since the beginning of December, capturing the multiple small towns. ALSO READ: Burundian, Congolese soldiers withdraw to Bujumbura amid M23 rebel advance - reports The latest town is Kiliba, which about 20 kilometres from Uvira. The latter is a strategic city that has been the Congolese army's key stronghold since February when Bukavu fell under rebel control. Videos circulated on social media on Tuesday, December 9, showing hundreds of jubilant people in the streets of Kiliba, chanting Libérée, libérée - french for liberated - as the rebels were said to have secured the town. https://x.com/Kivuinfo24/status/1998351857425559941 The Congolese army coalition that includes Burundian troops and local militia groups known as Wazalendo, have recently made back-to-back losses to rebels, who now control two largest cities in eastern DR Congo. Since Saturday, AFC/M23 secured Kamanyola and Luvungi towns near the Burundian borders and on Monday took control of Sange, which is about 30km from Uvira. Some Congolese soldiers and their allied Burundian troops and Wazalendo fighters withdrew on Monday, with reports saying some of them crossed into Burundi as the rebels marched toward Uvira. Uvira remains under government control as of Tuesday morning. Despite reports of an explosion near the city that caused some panic, no fighting had been reported between the government coalition and the AFC/M23. Eliminate the threat at its source Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu, AFC/M23 coordinator Corneille Nangaa suggested they don't intend to capture Uvira but would eliminate the threat at its source. We have no view on Uvira. But our defense strategy is clear: eliminate the threat at its source, he said. We are defending Uvira to avoid being accused of failing to assist a person in danger. Nangaa said his movement had appealed for respect of ongoing peace talks in Doha and yet the Congolese government moved ahead with hostilities. Nangaa said the government coalition had violated an agreed ceasefire 31 times between July and November. He also denounced Burundi's role in the conflict that has been going on since November 2021.
