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- M23 rebels are accused to shelling two civilian refugee camps killing 16 injuring at least 30 on Friday.
- The SAMIDRC says it will go into battle to push back the rebels and open roads leading into Goma.
- DRC President Félix Tshisekedi says Europe is not interested in sanctioning Rwanda over its support for M23 rebels.
The South Africa-led SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC) will conduct an armed operation to reopen humanitarian corridors M23 rebels blocked during attacks on displaced people's camps in North Kivu.
On Friday, the rebel forces shelled two civilian camps in Lac Vert and Mugunga, a few kilometres from Goma, the provincial capital of war-ravaged North Kivu.
The attacks wounded at least 30 civilians and claimed the lives of 16 people. The chaos resulted in "massive displacement of the population, blocking supply routes to Goma, and worsening the humanitarian situation", SAMIDRC said.
The onslaught, it added, blocked critical routes leading into Goma.
"The main roads to Goma, which are crucial for the movement of civilians, goods, and humanitarian aid, have become impassable due to armed groups' atrocities, further restricting access to essential services and supplies," read a statement issued by the SADC secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana.
SAMIDRC said it would join forces with the DRC National Army (FARDC) to "neutralise M23 rebels and maintain peace and security in creating a secure environment as well as protect civilians and their properties under imminent threats or attacks."
"The operations intend to open the supply routes and ensure that civilians are free from intimidation, displacement, and killings so that communities can run their daily lives without any interference or threats."
SAMIDRC also said its operation would fall under the guidelines of the law of armed conflicts, human rights, the United Nations (UN) Charter, and other statutes that seek to protect civilians.
'Ridiculous' allegations
Rwanda, accused of supporting the M23 rebels and of involvement in Friday's attack on civilians, said such allegations were "ridiculous".
The Rwandan government said it would "not shoulder responsibility for the bombing" or be blamed for "the security and governance failures of the government of the DRC."
The European Union (EU) issued a mild statement without directly mentioning Rwanda, calling on the M23 rebels and its allies to stand down.
"The delegation of the European Union and the embassies of its member states condemn firmly these bombings, as well as the recent advances on the ground by M23 and its allies.
"We also condemn the increasingly regular use of heavy artillery in close-proximity sites for displaced people, which has tragic consequences for the population trapped between these crossfires," the EU said.
Kigali-Kinshasa standoff
The bombings occurred while DRC president Félix Tshisekedi was on a European tour that took him to Germany, Belgium, and France.
During his tour, he shared his disappointment with global powers for their failure to impose sanctions on Rwanda.
"They know what we need, we are demanding sanctions. This war is being imposed on us in an obvious way to pillage our minerals and we know where these minerals end up in Western multinational companies for the most part. It is known and we do not sanction," he told French TV La Chaîne Info (LCI).
On the other hand, Rwandan president Paul Kagame's government accused Tshisekedi of harbouring a regime change agenda.
"President Tshisekedi and the Congolese leadership persistently threaten to invade Rwanda and overthrow its government by force. This is why Rwanda will continue to take measures to ensure complete defence of Rwandan territory, and take any legitimate measures to defend our country," Kigali said in a press release.
The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
