The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army and M23 rebels issued conflicting claims Tuesday over control of the strategic eastern town of Kalembe, highlighting ongoing tensions in the mineral-rich region.
Military spokesman Sylvain Ekenge announced the army had recaptured Kalembe on Monday, just one day after M23 rebels seized it from government forces and allied militia groups in North Kivu province. However, Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance which includes M23, contradicted this claim, asserting rebels maintain control of the town.
The Tutsi-led M23’s advance into Kalembe violates an Angola-mediated ceasefire agreement reached in August, according to Angola’s government. The rebel group has been conducting renewed military operations in eastern Congo since 2022.
Walikale territory official Kabaki Alimasi confirmed the army’s claim of retaking the town but noted ongoing fighting in nearby areas. “The M23 are not far,” he said. “We can hear gunfire, the population that fled has not yet returned.”
Military spokesman Ekenge reported that helicopter-transported troops were deployed Monday morning to address the situation, with fighting continuing between pro-government militia and M23 forces in areas beyond army control.
The United Nations and Congolese authorities accuse neighboring Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons, allegations Rwanda consistently denies. The conflict has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis in North Kivu, where UN figures show approximately 2.6 million people were displaced by the end of September.
The battle for Kalembe, a small but strategically located town in militia-plagued North Kivu’s Walikale territory, represents the latest flashpoint in a prolonged regional conflict that has destabilized eastern Congo and strained relationships between neighboring countries.
Reuters/VOA
