Official: M23 rebels capture 2 more towns in eastern Congo

By JUSTIN KABUMBA
Associated Press

GOMA, Congo (AP) — A local official in eastern Congo says M23 rebels have managed to seize control of two major towns following fierce clashes with the military. Heavy gunfire broke out Saturday morning and civil society leader John Banyene said later in the day that the rebels had taken control of Rutshuru Centre and Kiwanja. News of the developments has sparked fear in the regional capital of Goma, which is only 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the fighting. The M23 rebels had been largely inactive for nearly a decade before they reemerged in November 2021. Congo’s government has accused neighboring Rwanda of supporting the M23, an allegation Rwanda’s government has repeatedly denied.