This time, there are concerns that the M23 will hold Goma as a sort of buffer zone as Rwanda essentially redraws the border with its vastly bigger neighbor in a region estimated to have trillions of dollars in largely untapped mineral wealth like cobalt and gold.
Rebel leaders say they plan to set up an administration in the city. The rebels have claimed multiple victories at the expense of a larger Congolese army that has the support of a 14,strong U. There are even Romanian military contractors that Rwandan authorities describe as mercenaries. One of the Romanians knelt on the ground, hands behind his head, as rebels sought to usher him and others toward the border crossing.
Sit down. Rwanda, which has long denied supporting the M23 despite evidence collected by United Nations experts, says it wants to protect ethnic Tutsis in Congo β even as rebel commanders stand accused of exploiting minerals and other natural resources in areas they control. But some Congolese told The Associated Press they hated having to seek shelter in Rwanda and had no choice. As the United States and others call for a ceasefire in the region, humanitarian concerns grow as more people flee once more.
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