Africa

U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo

Published

3 months ago

February 18, 2024

U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo

The United States government has expressed strong disapproval of the Rwandan government’s backing of the M23 armed group, which is presently carrying out violent attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, issued this announcement through a press release titled “Escalation of Hostilities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” available on the Department’s website.

The statement highlighted that the M23 armed group, supported by the Rwandan government, is currently subject to sanctions imposed by both the U.S. and the U.N. for various violations.

Furthermore, it underscored that the M23 armed group had launched an incursion into the town of Sake in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in egregious human rights abuses such as displacement, deprivation, and attacks.

Additionally, the statement emphasized the United States government’s call for Rwanda to promptly withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the DRC and dismantle its surface-to-air missile systems.

Moreover, the US government called on the M23 armed group to immediately cease hostilities and retreat from its current positions surrounding Sake and Goma.

“We call on M23 to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from its current positions around Sake and Goma and in accordance with the Luanda and Nairobi processes.
“The United States condemns Rwanda’s support for the M23 armed group and calls on Rwanda to immediately withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the DRC and remove its surface-to-air missile systems, which threaten the lives of civilians, UN and other regional peacekeepers, humanitarian actors, and commercial flights in eastern DRC,” the statement read in part.

READ ALSO:

More insights

Miller also emphasized that every state involved in the conflict must respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and they should hold all individuals accountable for human rights violations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conflict.
Additionally, the United States government urged the DRC government to persist in supporting confidence-building measures, which should involve discontinuing cooperation with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group labeled as a “negative force” by regional entities and the DRC government, because the FDLR’s activities endanger civilian populations.
“We continue to support regional diplomatic efforts that promote de-escalation and create the conditions for lasting peace in DRC and we call on all sides to participate constructively in reaching a negotiated solution,” the statement added.

Backstory

Over the span of three decades, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been marred by persistent violent conflicts, particularly along its border with Rwanda, involving over 100 rebel factions.
Presently, the border towns of Sake and Goma are engulfed in an ongoing conflict, with the rebel group known as the March 23 (M23) movement, allegedly supported by the Rwandan government, is conducting attacks on civilians and engaging in mortar exchanges with the DRC army.
While the M23 insurgency purports to defend the rights of the Congolese Tutsi community against Rwandan Hutu killers who fled after the genocide, the abundant mineral resources in the border region serve as a significant incentive.
Social media platforms are inundated with images depicting the severity of the hostilities in eastern DRC, prompting a mass exodus of civilians fleeing for safety.

U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo

Africa

Father mourns 14-year-old daughter poisoned at school, says ‘I’ve failed you my baby’

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Trends Admin

Father mourns 14-year-old daughter poisoned at school, says ‘I’ve failed you my baby’

A father has mourned his 14-year-old daughter, Nomfundo Palesa Tyler Khumalo, who was allegedly poisoned at her school in South Africa.

It was gathered that the incident happened on 8 April 2024 and she passed away on 25 April.

I?ve failed you my baby - South African father mourns his 14-year-old daughter allegedly poisoned at her school Details surrounding the circumstances of her death remain unclear.

A murder case has been opened, and investigations are underway.

The family of Nomfundo is currently struggling to deal with the loss and seeking answers as to why and by whom she was targeted.

READ ALSO:

Nomfundo’s father, Gift, on Sunday, May 5, wrote a heartfelt message on X to pay tribute to her.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think you would end up on this page I’ve failed you my baby , should’ve protected you better we even spoke about you being home schooled after you recover unfortunately.. I’m so sorry If Possible I’d easily give up my life for yours,” he wrote on Sunday, May 5.

In an earlier post, he wrote: “I wish the after life is kinder to souls as precious as yours , there is no boundry for my love to you my baby Not even Death itself Don’t forget to visit us in our dreams more exp your Mother It’s never goodbye when there an after life promised I’ll see you soon my child.”

Father mourns 14-year-old daughter poisoned at school, says ‘I’ve failed you my baby’

Africa

Floods kill over 200 in Kenya, cyclone approaches

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Floods kill over 200 in Kenya, cyclone approaches

The death toll from flood-related accidents in Kenya has surpassed 200 since March, the interior ministry announced Friday as a storm approached the Tanzanian coast.

Torrential rains have lashed parts of East Africa, causing flooding and landslides that have wrecked crops, buried homes, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

According to a statement from Kenya’s interior ministry, 210 people have died “due to severe weather conditions,” with 22 deceased in the last 24 hours.

More than 165,000 people had been evacuated from their homes, with 90 others missing, increasing concerns that the toll may increase further.

Kenya and adjacent Tanzania, where at least 155 people have died in flooding, are bracing for Cyclone Hidaya, which will bring heavy rain, wind, and waves to their coastlines.

Tanzanian authorities warned Friday that Hidaya had “strengthened to the status of a full-fledged cyclone” around 3:00 a.m. local time (0000GMT), about 400 kilometres (248 miles) from the southeastern city of Mtwara.

READ ALSO:

“Cyclone Hidaya has continued to strengthen further, with wind speeds increasing to about 130 kilometres per hour,” they said in a weather bulletin.

Kenya’s interior ministry predicted that the storm would “bring strong winds and large ocean waves, with heavy rainfall,” and hit the shore on Sunday.

Since September last year, Burundi’s heavier-than-usual rains have killed at least 29 people, injured 175 others, and displaced tens of thousands, according to the United Nations.

The rains have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather pattern, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that is normally associated with increasing temperatures worldwide, resulting in drought in some regions of the world and torrential downpours in others.

More than 300 people were killed by rains and floods in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia late last year as the area struggled to recover from its worst drought in four decades.

Cyclone season in the southwest Indian Ocean typically lasts from November to April and produces approximately a dozen cyclones every year.

Floods kill over 200 in Kenya, cyclone approaches

Africa

Man who has lived in America for over 13 years says he’s tired, wants to return home

Published

4 days ago

May 1, 2024

Trends Admin

Man who has lived in America for over 13 years says he’s tired, wants to return home

After 13 years of residing in the United States of America, a Kenyan man has expressed his strong desire to return to his homeland.

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, reportedly relocated to the US in 2011, initially serving in the military for four years before transitioning into corporate employment.

During his time in the US, he held various positions, including a deployment in Afghanistan, and was earning a substantial salary of $12,000 per month.

READ ALSO:

However, despite the financial security, he found himself grappling with a sense of unfulfillment, realizing that he was sacrificing his most valuable asset (time) for a pursuit that left him with little satisfaction.

In December of the previous year, he reportedly resigned from his corporate job and delve into entrepreneurship, seeking freedom and autonomy in his endeavors.