Termination of the SAMIDRC regional peacekeeping mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier this month (March) saw 60% of deployed United Nations (UN) forces deployed to the Grand Nord of North Kivu and Ituri provinces on civilian protection duty.
“Our peacekeeping colleagues in the DRC continue to closely monitor the evolving security situation in North and South Kivu as clashes and movements of the M23 armed group persist,” Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a New York media briefing this week.
“MONUSCO notes the current geographical extent of M23 positions, with their northernmost point just south of Lubero in northern North Kivu and their westernmost point north of Walikale. Their easternmost position remains near Goma, while their southernmost reach extends 60 km north of Uvira. Notably, M23 was reportedly sighted 75 km northwest of Uvira,” he said.
Grand Nord refers to the Beni and Lubero territories in the northern part of the North Kivu province adjacent to the Ituri province. Both border Rwanda.
Reports from the central African country have it M23 rebels are pressing deeper into the DRC and entered North Kivu town Walikale yesterday (Wednesday 19 March). M23 still control North Kivu provincial capital Goma and its airport as well as Bukavu, where there is also an airport.
Haq told the briefing fighting in the eastern DRC continues to clam civilian lives and displace people. “Violence in both South and North Kivu is forcing people to flee to the neighbouring provinces of Maniema, Tanganyika and Tshopo. The presence of aid workers in these provinces remains limited and humanitarian needs have long gone unmet due to a lack of funding,” he said.
Clashes in Walungu territory, he told media, last week saw six civilians killed and tens of thousands to flee their homes. Also in South Kivu ongoing clashes in Uvira and surrounding villages forced residents to seek refuge in bordering Fizi territory.
The first elements of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission to the DRC (SAMIDRC) deployed 15 months ago in December 2023 with troop and materiel contributions coming from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania. Malawi made clear its intention to exit the mission early in February, ahead of March SADC Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Harare.
