Wave Surrenders from M23 Rebel Group
(MENAFN) Two officers along with 36 combatants aligned with the M23 insurgent faction have laid down their arms amidst the ongoing unrest in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to an announcement made by the Congolese armed forces on Monday.
Major Dieudonne Kasereka, who serves as the spokesperson for the 34th Military Region, confirmed this development during a briefing with journalists.
Kasereka noted that those who gave themselves up—including a major, a captain, and numerous fighters—relinquished their weapons across several locations: Rutshuru, Masisi, and Walikale in North Kivu province, and Kalehe in South Kivu.
Most of those who defected are described as “part of forcibly conscripted civilians and former government soldiers and police officers who were kidnapped” from Goma and Bukavu, cities that were overtaken by M23 earlier in the year.
Their accounts, he added, reveal disturbing evidence of “inhumane treatment and abuses committed within the rebel movement.”
One of the defectors, Johnny Makala, shared with local media that he escaped “to save his life.”
Brigadier General Constantin Muyuwa, the head of the 34th Military Region, issued a public appeal to remaining M23 fighters, urging them to follow the example of those who surrendered.
In a parallel development, the Congolese government and several armed factions, including M23 (also known as AFC/M23), recently inked an accord in Doha aimed at creating a mechanism to monitor a potential ceasefire.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
