Sat Feb 15 11:39:27 UTC 2025: **UN Chief Warns of Regional Escalation as M23 Rebels Advance in DR Congo**
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning Saturday at the African Union summit, urging a halt to the escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, have made significant territorial gains, seizing Kavumu airport near Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, and reportedly entering the city. Guterres stressed that the DRC’s territorial integrity must be preserved and that a regional escalation “must be avoided at all costs.”
Reports of explosions and casualties in Bukavu fueled concerns of a wider conflict. M23 commanders claimed control over both South and North Kivu provinces, including strategically important Lake Kivu. While Rwanda denies supporting the M23, a UN report last year implicated Kigali in providing significant military assistance.
The AU, criticized for its perceived inaction, has called for a ceasefire. However, neither Rwandan President Paul Kagame nor his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi attended the summit. Tshisekedi separately urged international bodies to blacklist Rwanda, accusing it of expansionist ambitions.
The EU has also expressed serious concern, stating it is considering all available options in response to the M23’s advance. This follows an earlier European Parliament resolution calling for sanctions against Rwanda, including suspending a minerals deal and halting financial and military aid. The international community is increasingly demanding decisive action to prevent a regional conflagration.
First Piper 