After a series of withdrawals and handing of territory to the DRC government, the M23 rebel group has stated their intention to « intervene and stop another genocide » in their official January 26th Communique (see below). They allege that the government and associated militias has not only been attacking their positions, but also carrying out attacks against civilian populations. According to the DRC government, the M23 has already launched a series of attacks in the last few days.
The M23’s withdrawal was apart of an agreement reached at the Luanda and Nairobi Peace Summits. Though the M23 was not present at the summits, they agreed to them at a later date after meeting directly with the DRC government. The M23’s words and renewed fighting are troublesome to the Eastern DRC where widespread conflict has seen tens of thousands displaced. The M23, the DRC alleges, is funded and supplied by Rwanda. As tension grows, war between the two nations becomes ever more possible.
