The incident occurred within the neighborhood of Sake, simply 20 kilometers from Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.
The wounded peacekeepers, who have been a part of Operation Springbok initiated final November to safeguard civilians within the area, sustained their accidents amidst the continued combating, the place UN troops have been helping Authorities forces to be able to defend susceptible civilians.
In a strongly-worded assertion issued by his Spokesperson, UN Secretary-Normal António Guterres condemned the assault, emphasizing that it might quantity to a battle crime beneath worldwide regulation.
Expressing his needs for a swift restoration for the injured peacekeepers, he reiterated requires all armed teams, Congolese and overseas fighters alike, to instantly stop hostilities and interact within the disarmament course of.
Moreover, the UN chief emphasised the need for M23 to withdraw solely from territory it has occupied and conform to the agreements outlined within the Luanda communiqué of November 2022, to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.
Bintou Keita, the Particular Consultant of the UN Secretary-Normal within the DRC and head of the UN mission MONUSCO, joined within the condemnation, denouncing the assault .
She stated that one of many wounded ‘blue helmets’ had suffered extreme accidents and all have been evacuated for applicable medical care.
The peacekeepers had been deployed for a number of weeks as a part of Operation Springbok within the restive North Kivu space, working collectively with Authorities troops in navy operations. Ms. Keita reaffirmed MONUSCO’s dedication to assist investigations within the hopes of bringing these accountable to justice.
The Secretary-Normal and his Particular Consultant reaffirmed MONUSCO’s resolve to additional implement its safety of civilians mandate from the Safety Council and work alongside Congolese defence and safety forces to bolster joint and unilateral patrols to guard civilians.
