Varrying witness accounts of people on ground indicate that the M23 fighters may have zeroed in on Sake, Rubaya placing Goma city in arms reach.
Lt-Col. Guillaume Njike Kaiko the spokesperson for Operation Sokola 2 downplayed the development saying on Tuesday that the city of Goma and the city of Sake are beyond any threat from the M23 rebels.
He added that the rebels had been pushed back by Congolese military beyond Kingi village where they are being pursued by the army. Kingi is located about 10km north of Sake.
“The city of Sake where the enemy tried to create insecurity is under FARDC control. The enemy suffered the firepower of the FARDC and continues to retreat.Neither Sake, nor Goma, nor Rubaya, none of these entities is threatened because the FARDC in full control,” he said.
He claimed that government forces were in total control of the mining city of Rubaya but did not provide many details.
“Here I must reassure the people of Goma, Sake, even Rubaya. It is true that the enemy threatened all these axes. But, today with the efforts made by the FARDC, I would like to confirm to you here that Rubaya, this mining town is under the control of the FARDC”, said Lieutenant-Colonel Guillaume Njike.
Meanwhile, provincial deputies of North Kivu met on Wednesday to analyse the root causes of instability in Eastern DRC.
Through an open letter to the President, the deputies urged the head of State Felix Tshisekedi to pursue peaceful means to end all forms of instability in this part of the country.
Also, these elected officials expressed concern about the tribal-ethnic character and the mistrust that this war wants to provoke by molding all the efforts of national, regional, African and international institutions to bring peace to the sub-region.
The provincial deputies of North Kivu have urged the Head of State to open humanitarian corridors and blocked roads in all areas affected by armed conflicts, in particular the Goma-Rutshuru-Kanyabayonga, Goma-Kitchanga, Goma-Masisi-Walikale axes.
In addition and at the regional level, the elected officials have in their letter addressed to President Tshisekedi, recommended the creation of a climate of appeasement and mutual security between the States of the region by ensuring the act of non-aggression.
