UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Photo from the archive Crisis in the DRC: UN Secretary-General calls for an immediate end to violence Peace and Security
The UN Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and condemned the offensive by the M23 armed group and its advance towards the city of Goma in North Kivu province. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation in eastern DRC.
Rwanda’s Role
A statement issued on Sunday morning by UN Chief Antonio Guterres’ press service said that the M23 armed group’s offensive is supported by the Rwandan Armed Forces.
Peacekeepers’ Deaths
Over the past 48 hours, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of three UN peacekeepers – two from South Africa and one from Uruguay – who were carrying out their mandate to protect civilians in the region. Eleven more peacekeepers were injured and are being treated at a UN hospital in Goma.
The Secretary-General expressed his condolences to the families of the peacekeepers killed, as well as to the governments and people of South Africa and Uruguay. “The UN chief pays tribute to the bravery of all UN peacekeepers who are carrying out their mandate to protect civilians and combat violence by armed groups,” the statement said. António Guterres also noted the role of the DRC Armed Forces and the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC in these efforts.
Respect international law
The Secretary-General reminded all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law. He stressed that attacks on UN personnel may amount to war crimes and called for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable.
Call for an end to violence
The Secretary-General reiterated his call for the M23 to cease hostilities and immediately withdraw its forces from the occupied territories. He also called on the Rwandan Armed Forces to cease support for the M23 and withdraw its troops from DRC territory. “[The UN Secretary-General] reaffirms the UN’s support for the Luanda process and calls for an immediate resumption of negotiations within this process,” the statement said.