M23 Rebels Regain Control of Shoa in Eastern Congo
(MENAFN) M23 rebels regained control of the strategic town of Shoa in eastern Congo’s North Kivu province on Sunday following fierce clashes with pro-government forces, local residents reported.
The town, situated in the mineral-rich Masisi territory, had briefly come under the control of the Congolese military and allied Wazalendo militia on Saturday before the rebels launched a counteroffensive.
“We are now under the authority of the M23 rebels, who attacked early this Sunday and forced out the Wazalendo who had been here since Saturday,” resident Steven Bwema told media.
After a day of intense fighting, Shoa was reportedly calm on Sunday, though the broader Masisi region remains a volatile battleground. The territory, coveted for its deposits of gold, cobalt, and tantalum, has been the epicenter of escalating confrontations for over three months.
Despite a ceasefire agreement signed in July in Doha, Qatar, known as the Declaration of Principles, violence continues to surge. The accord was intended to ease tensions between the Congolese government and a coalition of rebel groups, including M23.
Last week, fighting flared in the villages of Mi’enge, Rukezi, and Minembwe, where M23-aligned Twigwaneho rebels clashed with Wazalendo militia forces backed by the army.
Kinshasa, the United Nations, and several Western governments have repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing support to the M23 rebel group — a charge Kigali firmly denies.
On Saturday, Congolese army spokesperson Gen. Sylvain Ekenge condemned the latest rebel offensives in both North and South Kivu, stating they represent a “blatant violation of the Washington peace agreements and the Doha Declaration of Principles,” agreements aimed at restoring stability to the conflict-ridden eastern region.
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