M23 Rébel Leadership Holds First Rally in Goma, Assure Citizens Safety
M23 rebels who captured eastern Congo ‘s key city of Goma sought to reassure its residents Thursday, holding a stadium rally and promising safety under their administration as they try to shore up public support amid growing international pressure.
The M23 rebels continued advances elsewhere in eastern Congo despite their own announcement of a unilateral cease-fire, and the U.N. secretary-general called for them to lay down their guns and agree to mediation. Health officials, meanwhile, said the rebellion had disrupted a key medical lab in Goma.
As thousands gathered at the stadium in Goma, which the rebels captured last week with the support of troops from neighboring Rwanda, M23 political leader Corneille Nangaa told the crowd that the city had been “liberated and sanitized” and that new administrative heads have been appointed.
📷 Contributory
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