M23 troops advance into DR Congo’s second city as UK warns of escalation

London: The UK government on Sunday warned that a growing offensive by Rwandan-backed fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo risked sparking “a wider regional conflict”.

M23 fighters routed the Congolese army to capture the key provincial capital of Goma in North Kivu last month.

Then on Friday, the armed group and Rwandan troops marched largely unchecked into Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, security and humanitarian sources said.

“The entrance of M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force into Bukavu is a violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of the UN Charter,” a UK Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

“This is a serious escalation that heightens the risk of a wider regional conflict – the human cost of which would be devastating.

“The UK calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of all RDF from Congolese territory and a return to dialogue through African-led peace processes. There can be no military solution.”