People flee DR Congo fighting one day after peace deal signed in Washington | Democratic Republic of the Congo
A day after the peace agreement was signed in Washington DC, new clashes in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have caused hundreds of people to flee across the border into Rwanda.
Thursday’s deal was intended to stabilize the resource-rich east but has so far had no visible impact in a region plagued by conflict for 30 years.
On Friday, fighters of the anti-government armed group M23 fought the Congolese army in South Kivu province, with the support of thousands of Burundian soldiers stationed alongside it.
Both sides are fighting for control of the border town of Kamanyola, where the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi meet. M23 now has control there.
Explosions that shook buildings echoed throughout the morning near Kamanyola, an AFP journalist reported, about 2 km (1.3 mi) away at Bugarama, a border post on the Rwandan side.
On Friday, M23 accused the Burundi military of “non-stop” fire on the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A Burundian military source told AFP they had strengthened their positions to ensure they were not overrun by M23 fighters and their Rwandan supporters.
“The clashes are intensifying,” added the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “There is a real risk of the situation escalating. We are bringing reinforcements to the front because this is the red line for Burundi.”
The source said his country could not accept “if M23 terrorists and their Rwandan supporters reached the city of Uvira in the DRC, which is less than 30 km from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.”
Rows of civilians fleeing the clashes were crossed by Rwandan police in the early hours.
“Bombs were exploding on the houses,” said a witness, Immaculee Antoinette, from Ruhumba near Kamanyola. “We were asked to stay locked in our homes, but that seemed impossible.”
Kamanyola’s administrative officer, Hasan Shabani, said that schools, hospitals and civilians’ houses were bombed.
Farizi Bizimana, a local woman, said that on the Rwandan side, some residents were “scouring the hills where the shots were coming from in small groups.” “When the gunshots intensify, children and women are very afraid and take shelter in their homes,” he said.
In January, M23, supported by Kigali and its army, went on the offensive, capturing major regional cities such as Goma in North Kivu province and Bukavu in South Kivu.
In Washington on Thursday, Félix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, signed an agreement that their host, US president Donald Trump, described as a “miracle”.
