Fighting resumed on Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8 in Saké, a town located about thirty kilometers from Goma, one of the main cities in eastern DRC. Clashes there pitted government troops against fighters from the M23, a rebel group supported by neighboring Rwanda. A resumption of hostilities which comes after two weeks of a relative return to calm in the region.
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With our correspondent in Goma, Coralie Pierret
The eastern front of the conflict which is tearing apart the province of North Kivu, in the east of DRChad remained rather calm over the past two weeks. The latest clashes in Saké, a strategic crossroads located west of Goma, the regional capital, took place around two weeks ago.
But on Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8, fighting again pitted the Wazalendo, local militias allied to the Kinshasa government, and rebel fighters from the M23 supported by the Rwanda. “ Bombs fell on the side of Kimoka Hill on Sunday morning », confirm two local sources without specifying either the results or the type of weapons used.
No respite on the northern front
On the northern front, on the other hand, along national road number 2 (RN2) which connects the major cities of the province, the weekend unfolded as in previous days. This Sunday, fighting continued for the seventh consecutive day in Lubero territory, particularly around Kasegbe, about a hundred kilometers south of Butembo.
Also readDRC: resumption of fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels in North Kivu
In this locality, two civilians died on Saturday during clashes with national security forces, according to the president of North Kivu transporters, Nicolas Karumba. The population then opposed the arrest of taxi drivers and RN2 users accused by the army of crossing enemy lines and collaborating with the M23 rebels.