KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Clashes between local rebels and pro-government militias in eastern Congo killed 16 villagers Thursday, a government official said, the latest violation of a cease-fire announced to help millions displaced in the region.
The villagers were killed in the Rutshuru territory in North Kivu province during fighting between the M23 rebel group allegedly backed by neighboring Rwanda and the local Wazalendo fighters who often fight alongside Congolese security forces, according to Isaac Kibira, an administrative head in Rutshuru.
“The position of the M23 rebels was attacked by young Wazalendo (and) unfortunately, seven civilians perished,” Kibira said. A second clash in Rutshuru resulted in a vehicle being set ablaze, killing nine of the passengers onboard, he added.
None of the deceased villagers were participants in the fighting, officials said.
The fighting raised fresh concerns about the sustainability of a cease-fire that took effect on Aug. 4 to halt fighting in the region and get help to millions in need. Several other cease-fires announced in the past between the government and the rebels have also been violated.
Eastern Congo has long been overrun by more than 120 armed groups seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources as they carry out mass killings. The result is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, many of them beyond the reach of aid.
The most active rebel group in the region has been M23, which rose to prominence more a decade ago when its fighters seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city on the border with Rwanda. It derives its name from a March 23, 2009, peace deal that it accuses the Congo government of not implementing.
Meanwhile, Gov. Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki of eastern Congo’s South Kivu province on Thursday lifted the suspension of all mining activities, nearly a month after he announced the ban to “restore order” in the mineral-rich region.
The lifting of the ban follows meetings with mining companies and a directive to the companies to file tax returns and sign a commitment to transparency in the mining sector, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
Many Chinese companies mine gold and other minerals in eastern Congo, where attacks on quarries and mining cooperatives are frequent. Last month, a militia attack on a gold mine in the Ituri province killed six Chinese miners and two Congolese soldiers.