The European Union, EU, on Sunday condemned in strong terms the M23 rebel forces’ invasion of a territory in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC.
The Foreign Affairs spokesperson for the EU, Anouar El Anouni, made the condemnation at the Commission’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
El Anouni said the continued advance of M23 was an unacceptable violation of the agreed ceasefire, stressing that it further deepens the disastrous humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC.
“We also discussed the issue on Monday at the Foreign Affairs Council, which is the monthly meeting of the foreign ministers of the 27 member states.
“The member states condemned the escalation of the crisis and expressed their readiness to take measures against those that endanger peace and stability in the DRC,” he said.
He reiterated that the bloc’s Political and Security Committee was already dealing with the issue.
Media Talk Africa reports that the M23 rebel group is involved in armed conflict with government forces in North Kivu district of the DRC.
The M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwandan troops, recently invaded the city of Goma in eastern DRC and have taken control of the city.
The rebels raised the prospect of further expansion of territory under their control.
Meanwhile, the DRC government has described the invasion as a declaration of war by Rwanda.
Goma, a regional hub of over two million people, is on the DRC’s border with Rwanda.
