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The Congo is on the brink of a regional war, as the Rwandan-backed March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group has recently seized one of the country’s biggest cities, Goma, reported Euronews. In response, riots broke out in the capital, Kinshasa, during which embassies were attacked. Several Hungarian politicians reacted to the riots.
On Monday, the first reports emerged that the rebels had entered Goma, on the shores of Lake Kivu and along the border with Rwanda, and were already clearing the last pockets of resistance. In the town, arms are in constant use, while violence against women and attacks on humanitarian missions have also been reported.
M23 fighters marched into Goma in eastern Congo in the worst escalation of a three-decade-old conflict rooted in the fallout from the Rwandan genocide and the struggle for control of Congo’s abundant mineral resources https://t.co/8Zy3AlPnao pic.twitter.com/C4Dwj7Hfxh
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 28, 2025
The situation in Goma then sparked a riot of outraged protesters in the Congolese capital, reported Al Jazeera. The demonstrators accuse several neighboring African countries and Western states of having helped the M23 rebel group to take over Goma. In Kinshasa, outraged protesters set fire to the gates of several embassies, forced their way into some buildings, threw furniture or otherwise damaged buildings. Police used tear gas in several places to repel the attackers. Among the targeted embassies were of France, Belgium, the United States, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
The protesters denounced the inaction of the international community regarding the situation in Goma.
On Tuesday, they had reportedly taken control of the airport after serious street battles.
#UPDATE The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group vowed on Thursday to “continue the march of liberation all the way to” the DR Congo capital Kinshasa, as its fighters made further advances in the mineral-rich east of the country ➡️ https://t.co/dwUM9d8Z2N pic.twitter.com/4MXBH8rfbJ
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 30, 2025
Fidesz MEP Kinga Gál wrote in a Facebook post that Hungary condemns the attack of the Rwandan forces and the atrocities against civils and peacekeeping missions. According to the politician, the stability of the African region is of key importance regarding Europe since an escalation of the conflict could lead to another migratory wave to Europe.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also commented on the situation on his Facebook page. He said that he had a telephone conversation with Thérèse Kayikwamba, the Congolese Foreign Minister, who informed him about the attack. “We strongly condemn the attack on the Democratic Republic of Congo, the killing of civilians and peacekeepers, and we call on the Rwandans to withdraw their troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo”, the Minister emphasized.
Tristan Azbej, the State Secretary responsible for persecuted Christians, pointed out that in Congo, the conflict between government forces and the March 23 Movement has reached its bloodiest level for decades, threatening an increasingly serious humanitarian crisis, destabilization of the whole country and, therefore, mass migration. He emphasized that
the Hungary Helps Program has been present in the region for years: they have supported the construction of emergency shelters for refugees and displaced families, supported emergency care and education, and helped strengthen local agriculture with Hungarian knowledge.
“We did this to save lives and ensure stable living conditions in these troubling times. Unfortunately, the current conflict threatens all of this to the core”, he wrote, adding that Hungary is on the side of peace and stability.
Via Euronews, Al Jazeera; Featured photo via Pixabay