By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday spoke separately with the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda about the escalating conflict in eastern Congo, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
When asked if any progress was made toward ending the conflict, Dujarric told reporters: “The crisis in eastern Congo has been going on for decades – it’s not going to be solved in 24 hours.”
“What is clear is that it will not be solved through military operations by different governments, by different militias.”
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels marched into eastern Congo’s largest city Goma on Monday in the worst escalation of a long-running conflict for more than a decade. Congo accused Rwanda of sending troops into its territory, while Rwanda said fighting near the border threatened its own security.
The U.N. Security Council is due to meet on the crisis later on Tuesday.
“The situation in Goma remains tense and rather fluid. M23 forces, we are told, are inside the city and U.N. peacekeeping personnel and troops have largely been forced to shelter in their bases,” Dujarric said.
U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters on Monday that Rwandan forces were supporting the M23 rebels in Goma.
In Guterres’ call with Rwandan President Paul Kagame “there was also a special emphasis on the need to protect civilians in that area,” Dujarric said.
He also said protests in the Congolese capital Kinshasa had turned violent and that demonstrators had set fires outside U.N. premises and targeted several embassies. He said looting had also been reported in Kinshasa.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Rod Nickel)
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