Congolese army tries to repel Rwanda-backed rebels in fighting that has killed some 700 people

A weakened Congolese subject fought backmost against Rwanda-backed rebels who the U.N. said were moving accelerated into the South Kivu state after seizing the region’s largest city and an planetary airport. The crisis, which the U.N. said killed 700 radical this week, puts a 2nd determination airdrome astatine risk.

As the warring raged on with the M23 rebels Saturday, the Congolese service recaptured the villages of Sanzi, Muganzo and Mukwidja successful South Kivu’s Kalehe territory, which had fallen to the rebels earlier this week, according to 2 civilian nine officials. who spoke to The Associated Press connected the information of anonymity implicit fearfulness for their safety.

The cardinal African nation’s subject has been weakened aft it mislaid hundreds of troops and overseas mercenaries surrendered to the rebels aft the autumn of Goma.

U.N. peacekeeping main Jean-Pierre Lacroix, meanwhile, said the M23 and Rwandan forces were astir 60 kilometers (37 miles) northbound of South Kivu’s provincial superior of Bukavu, covering astir the aforesaid region successful the erstwhile 2 days since they started advancing on Lake Kivu connected the borderline with Rwanda. Lacroix said the rebels “seem to beryllium moving rather fast,” and capturing an airdrome a fewer kilometers (miles) distant “would beryllium different truly important step.”

M23 is the astir potent of much than 100 equipped groups vying for power in Congo’s mineral-rich east, which holds immense deposits captious to overmuch of the world’s technology. They are backed by astir 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, far much than successful 2012, erstwhile they archetypal captured Goma and held it for days successful a struggle driven by taste grievances.

The seizure of Goma resulted successful a dire humanitarian crisis, the U.N. and assistance radical person said. Goma serves arsenic a humanitarian hub captious for galore of the 6 cardinal radical displaced by the struggle successful eastern Congo. The rebels said they volition march each the mode to Congo’s superior Kinshasa, 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the west.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric besides told a briefing Friday that the World Health Organization and its partners conducted an appraisal with Congo’s authorities betwixt Jan. 26-30, and reported that 700 radical person been killed and 2,800 injured successful Goma and the vicinity. Dujarric confirmed to AP that the deaths occurred during those days.

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The rebel beforehand has near successful its aftermath extrajudicial killings and forced conscription of civilians, U.N. quality rights bureau spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said Friday. “We person besides documented summary executions of astatine slightest 12 radical by M23” from Jan. 26-28, Laurence said, adding that the radical has besides occupied schools and hospitals successful the state and are subjecting civilians to forced conscription and forced labor.

Congolese forces person besides been accused of intersexual unit arsenic warring rages connected successful the region, Laurence said, adding the U.N. is verifying reports that Congolese troops raped 52 women successful South Kivu.

Goma’s seizure has brought humanitarian operations to “a standstill, cutting disconnected a captious lifeline for assistance transportation crossed eastbound (Congo),” said Rose Tchwenko, state manager for Mercy Corps assistance radical in Congo.

“The escalation of unit toward Bukavu raises fears of adjacent greater displacement, portion the breakdown of humanitarian entree is leaving full communities stranded without support,” she said.