Rwanda-backed rebels enter mineral-rich town in Congo, defying ceasefire calls

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels entered the strategic town of Walikale in eastern Congo late Wednesday, according to residents and civil society leaders, a day after the Congolese and Rwandan presidents called for an immediate ceasefire.

“The information is confirmed: the rebels are visible at the monument and at the Bakusu group office," Prince Kihangi, a former provincial deputy elected for the Walikale territory, told The Associated Press over the phone, referring to locations in the centre of Walikale. "This confirms the presence of the M23 in the territorial capital."

By taking control of Walikale, the M23 rebels seized a road linking four provinces in the east of the country: North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Maniema, cutting off the Congolese army's positions.

Heavy artillery fire could be heard throughout the day but ceased in the evening, giving way to sporadic gunfire, Fiston Misona, a civil society activist in Walikale, told the AP over the phone.

“Our Congolese army is no longer fighting,” he said. “It’s as if we were being sacrificed.”

There was no immediate comment from the M23 or the Congolese government.

The escalation in fighting comes a day after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda held unexpected talks in Qatar and called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

The meeting followed a failed attempt to bring Congo’s government and M23 leaders together for ceasefire negotiations on Tuesday. The rebels pulled out Monday after the European Union announced sanctions on rebel leaders.

The decades-long conflict in eastern Congo escalated in January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, in a conflict that has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises. More than 7 million people have been displaced.

The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, and at times have vowed to march as far as Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the east.

The U.N. Human Rights Council last month launched a commission to investigate atrocities, including allegations of rape and killing akin to “summary executions” by both sides.

The Walikale area is home to the largest tin deposits in Congo and to several significant gold mines. The Bisie tin mine, around 60 kilometers (35 miles) northwest of the town, accounts for most tin exports from North Kivu province. Last week, its operator Alphamin Resources said it was temporarily halting mining operations due to the rebels' advance.