Fighting Intensifies Following Death of DR Congo Governor

Africa News and AP

Military personnel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo stepped up patrols in the government stronghold of Goma on Friday, as Rwanda-backed rebels encircled the city.

Residents described the spread of panic as M23 rebels took control of Sake, a town only 27 kilometres (16 miles) from the provincial capital, a day earlier.

Soldiers could be seen checking the identity of passengers and the contents of vehicles.

Patrick Salumana, a local taxi driver, said that to see the soldiers was "reassuring".

"Last night, like this time, there was widespread panic, but today it's like a blessing to see soldiers checking,” he said.

M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling Goma, which has around 2 million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.

The evening patrols came just hours after a military spokesman confirmed the governor of eastern Congo’s North Kivu province had died from injuries sustained during fighting on the front line.

The circumstances around the death of Maj. Gen Peter Cirimwami were unclear.

He was hit during a battle on the front line on Thursday and died of his wounds on Friday.

The news caused an outpouring of concern and grief among the people of Goma.

"To see the governor die on the battlefield hurts us so much," said local resident, Amani Safari.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, along the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

More than 7 million people have been displaced by the fighting. Earlier this month, M23 captured the towns of Minova, Katale and Masisi, west of Goma.

M23 seized Goma in 2012 and controlled it for over a week.

Congo, the United States and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which is mainly composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army over a decade ago.

Rwanda’s government denies the claim but last year admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a build-up of Congolese forces near the border.

U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.