By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Burundi’s president has expressed concern that escalating conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could spark a regional war, urging Rwanda to end conquest.
The M23 rebel group, widely believed to have the backing of Rwanda, has invaded and taken control of Goma, the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and is pushing southwards.
The offensive is one of a series of attacks in the region, where nearly six million people have died over the last three decades due to conflict.
“If eastern Congo does not have peace, the region has no peace,” President Évariste Ndayishimiye warned in remarks posted on social media on Saturday.
“If it continues like this, war risks becoming widespread in the region,” he said, adding: “If Rwanda continues to make conquests… I know that war will even arrive in Burundi.”
His remarks came as the M23 pushed south towards the city of Kavumu in South Kivu.
The city has a strategic military airfield and is where the Congolese army has laid down its defensive line just 40 kilometres north of the South Kivu capital, Bukavu.
Burundi had deployed troops in the east of the DRC as part of the East African Community force supporting the Congolese military.
Rwanda has consistently denied any alliance with the group, despite evidence that Kigali is supporting it with equipment and training.
Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, earlier in the week, clashed over M23 attacks that killed at least 13 South African soldiers.
