Hundreds of civilians have been displaced following renewed fighting in Masisi Territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the M23 rebels’ spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka.
Kanyuka said the clashes erupted early Tuesday after coalition forces aligned to the Kinshasa government launched simultaneous attacks on the densely populated areas of Gasenyi, Murambi and surrounding areas at about 5:30 a.m.
He said the fighting, which was still ongoing at the time of the statement, had forced civilians to flee their homes, while several properties had been destroyed or lost.
“The AFC-M23 will not remain a spectator in the face of the massacre of innocent civilians,” Kanyuka said, adding that the group would take what he described as necessary measures to defend and protect civilians.
Kanyuka also accused the Kinshasa government of intensifying what he described as a campaign of disinformation and propaganda through social media, activist networks and journalists.
He alleged that the campaign was aimed at diverting public attention from what he called the government’s failure to contain the spread of Ebola virus disease and protect civilians from attacks by the ADF-NALU.
Kanyuka urged the Kinshasa government to learn from AFC-M23’s experience and response mechanisms in dealing with Ebola, contain the spread of the disease and improve the protection of civilians.
