Secretary-General Concerned by Escalating Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and reiterates his strongest condemnation of the M23 [23 March Movement] armed group’s ongoing offensive and advances towards Goma in North Kivu with the support of the Rwanda Defence Forces.

In the last 48 hours, two United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) peacekeepers from South Africa and one peacekeeper from Uruguay were killed while implementing the mandate entrusted upon them by the Security Council.  Eleven peacekeepers sustained injuries and are being treated in the UN hospital in Goma.

The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers as well as to their Governments and the people of South Africa and Uruguay, and wishes a swift recovery to the injured.  He pays tribute to the bravery of all the United Nations peacekeepers while implementing their mandate to protect civilians and defend them against armed group violence, in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Secretary-General reminds all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law.  He recalls that attacks against United Nations personnel may constitute a war crime.  He calls on the appropriate authorities to investigate this incident and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call to respect the ceasefire agreement.  He calls on M23 to immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from occupied areas.  He further calls on the Rwanda Defence Forces to cease support to M23 and withdraw from Democratic Republic of the Congo territory.  He reaffirms the United Nations support to the Luanda Process and calls for an immediate resumption of negotiations in this framework.