The Rwanda-backed rebels who seized a major city in eastern Congo have declared a unilateral ceasefire, citing humanitarian grounds.
But, there was no sign of them giving up control of Goma at the heart of a region home to trillions of dollars in mineral wealth.
“It must be made clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. However, we reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” M23 rebel spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement.
Monday’s announcement came after the World Health Organization said at least 900 people had died in last week’s fighting between the M23 rebels and Congolese forces after the rebels seized the city of Goma. Some 2,900 people were also wounded in the fighting, according to the UN health agency.
Rebels claim to be defending ethnic Tutsis
The M23 rebels are backed by about 4,000 troops from neighbouring Rwanda, according to UN experts, far more than in 2012 when they first captured Goma.
They are the most potent of the more than 100 armed groups vying for control in Congo’s mineral-rich east, which holds vast deposits critical to much of the world’s technology.
M23 says it is defending ethnic Tutsis in Congo. Rwanda has claimed the Tutsis are being persecuted by Hutus and former militias responsible for the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis in that country.
The World Food Program is warning of shortages of food, clean water and medical supplies in Goma, in eastern Congo, where waves of fighting have displaced thousands of people and disrupted supply chains.
Many Hutus fled to Congo after the genocide and founded the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda militia group. Rwanda says the group is “fully integrated” into the Congolese military, which denies the charges.
The rebels were reported to be advancing on another provincial capital, Bukavu, following five days of fighting over Goma last week. But their spokesperson denied that was their intention in his statement.
There was no immediate comment from Congo’s government, though a joint summit by the regional blocs of southern and eastern Africa is scheduled for later this week. The presidents of Congo and Rwanda will be in attendance, Kenya’s President William Ruto said Monday.
Families rush to identify bodies
Meanwhile, families desperate to identify their loved ones thronged morgues as body bags were loaded onto trucks for burials in Goma.
A weeping Chiza Nyenyezi recalled how her son died from a gunshot injury.
“A muzalendo shot him in the back [and] it went out of his chest,” Nyenyezi said, referring to the Congolese army-allied militia group. “His entire chest was open.”
Louise Shalukoma said her son’s body could not be immediately recovered from the streets because a bomb detonated as people tried to retrieve it.
“My God, my fourth child, when I saw that he was dead I said, ‘Lord, what am I going to do?’ ” she said. “This M23 war came for me in Goma.”
Goma hospitals struggling
Goma’s hospitals are also struggling to keep up with the hundreds of wounded people pouring in.
Bethesda Hospital says it receives more than 100 new patients each day, overstretching its capacity of 250 beds. It’s one of several hospitals in Goma that The Associated Press visited that has inadequate personnel and supplies.
Kyeshero is also severely overcrowded, hitting more than 200 per cent of its capacity on some days, according to Joseph Amadomon Sagara, a project co-ordinator for Doctors Without Borders, which runs the hospital.
Medical workers at the hospital say they are treating an increasing number of patients with bullet wounds.
“We removed 48 bullets yesterday,” Johnny Kasangati, a surgeon, said Friday as he examined a patient under a tent.
In the past, hospitals in Goma could transport wounded patients by boat to South Kivu’s main Bukavu city, 180 kilometres to the south. But transport across Lake Kivu was suspended during the rebellion and roads have been mostly cut.
The fighting in and around Goma has also disrupted supply chains, leading to shortages in medical supplies that aid groups rely on. Some of it previously entered the city through its international airport, which is now under rebel control.
“Goma was cut off from the world. It was a total blackout,” said Virginie Napolitano, Goma’s emergency co-ordinator for Doctors Without Borders.
As more people arrived at the hospitals with gunshot or shrapnel wounds, many were forced to share beds while others lay on the floor, writhing in pain as they waited for medical attention.
“This is the first time I’m experiencing this,” said Patrick Bagamuhunda, who was wounded in the fighting. “This war has caused a lot of damage, but at least we are still breathing.”
