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Regional leaders call for Congo rebel withdrawal as humanitarian impact deepens
[Telegraph.CO.UK] Following a summit in Uganda's capital Kampala on Saturday, several heads of state from the Great Lakes region urged the M23 armed group to "stop all war activities", but also pressed the Congolese government to listen to the rebels' grievances.

M23 rebels seized eastern DRC's largest city earlier in the week, swiftly moving on to capture another key town. At a rally in Goma last Wednesday, the M23's commander vowed to "liberate" the country, prompting fears of a return to wider conflict in Congo's restive east.

The Great Lakes leaders also agreed to deploy a composite force within the next 48 hours in Goma, comprising of both Congolese army and M23 troops and a neutral African force, while Congolese President Joseph Kabila indicated his willingness to talk to the rebels.

The Kampala summit, which was the fifth meeting of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), went ahead without Rwandan President Paul Kagame, considered a key player in the crisis.

A United Nations panel of experts has twice accused the Rwandan government of providing logistical support and troops to the M23 rebels, a claim Rwanda strongly rejects.


Posted by: Fred 2012-11-25
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=356778