Nebenzia says Russia strongly condemns M23 actions in DR Congo
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Russia strongly condemns the actions of the Congolese rebel group Movement of March 23 (M23) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and calls for an end to the fighting. Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said this on January 28 during a meeting on the situation in the DRC.
"Russia strongly condemns the actions of the M23 grouping. We call for an immediate halt to the fighting and withdrawal of the fighters of this illegal armed group from the captured settlements and occupied territories," he said.
Nebenzya spokesman specified that Russia is going to use "all possibilities" to suspend the conflict on the territory of the DRC and restore the prospect of a diplomatic settlement. He also noted that it is impossible to end the escalation in the region by armed means.
On January 27, M23 leader Cornel Nangaa claimed to have taken control of the city of Goma. The rebels cut the routes for food and essential supplies to the city from the south. The next day Agence France-Presse reported that as a result of fighting in the city of Goma in DR Congo more than 100 people were killed, about 1 thousand more were injured.
The situation escalated after the government of DR Congo broke diplomatic relations with Rwanda and accused the country of supporting the rebels, who launched a new offensive on the city of Goma. On January 26, the DR Congo's foreign ministry announced the immediate withdrawal of its diplomats in the Rwandan capital of Kigali and ordered the country's embassy in Kinshasa to cease operations within 48 hours.
On January 27, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia was concerned about the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and called on the parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities.