DRC:Rebels to Withdraw From Eastern City of Goma

Kinshasa--Rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo have started pulling out from territories they control in the restive eastern region of the country, days after an agreement calling them to withdraw was struck in Uganda.

M23 rebel fighters advanced through towns in east of the country, eventually capturing the region’s capital of Goma Tuesday, from government troops in fierce fighting that has displaced tens of thousands of people within weeks.

Talks mediated by east African regional group in Kampala, Uganda saw a deal reached between the DRC government and the M23 rebels that called for the rebels to halt their offense and withdraw from Goma.

M23 military leader Sultani Makenga said on Tuesday that his fighters would leave Goma within three days and pull back 20km under the deal struck on Monday. He said the rebels had started preparing for their withdrawal from Goma to Rutshuru area bordering Uganda and Rwanda, which has been their stronghold since they broke ranks from the national army in April.

Col Vianney Kazarama, spokesman of the group later said on Wednesday that the rebels were to withdraw from the town of Sake 27km west of Goma on Thursday and Friday, adding that they would withdraw from Goma over the weekend, though it was not confirmed.

Reports on the ground confirm that rebel advances have stopped and were said to be transporting weaponry out of Goma, after they had started also to withdraw from Mushake town, 50km south of the provincial capital.

On Wednesday about 300 people marched through the streets of Goma carrying posters and banners, while chanting slogans in support of M23, demanding President Joseph Kabila to step down.

M23’s political leader Jena Marie Runiga has said the group was not against withdrawing from Goma but would do so if certain demands were met. They want opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi who has been under house arrest since President Kabila won the elections last year, released and also to hold direct talks with the president and dissolution of the electoral commission.

UN military adviser General Babacar Gaye is expected to tour DR Congo among other East African countries to work out details of the pull out deal, which include the working of a proposed neutral zone and the set up of a proposed international neutral force for DR Congo.

 The movement comprised of mostly Congolese Tutsis, also known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army, derives its name from the March 2009 peace deal that saw end of rebellions in eastern DR Congo.

Under the deal its fighters among those from other groups plying the region were integrated into the Congolese FARDC army. Led by General Bosco Ntaganda, the renegade soldiers deserted their ranks in the army in April over failure by the government to honour the March 23 deal and have since been fighting government troops in North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo.

The eastern DR Congo conflict is said to be a spill over from the Rwandan 1994 genocide where Congolese Tutsi rebels are reportedly armed by both Rwandan government officials to fight Rwandan Hutu rebels in Congo whom the Kigali claims are being aided by the Kinshasa government.

A dossier by the UN Security Council’s Group of Experts, accuses both Rwanda and Uganda of backing the M23 movement, claims that both countries strongly deny.

Bamako, Mali

UN Gives Backing for AU Mission in Mali

The United Nation has recommended a conditional backing for a one-year by the African Union Mission in Mali against Islamist militants who are in control of the northeastern part of the country.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the UN Security Council had authorized African Union (AU) member states to establish a 3,300-strong mission, for an initial period of one year, which would go by the acronym Afisma.

Ban who did not offer any financial support said African nations needed to answer basic questions on how the mission would be run.

"Fundamental questions on how the force would be led, sustained, trained, equipped and financed remain unanswered," Mr Ban said. Funding for any military operations should come from voluntary or bilateral contributions.

Ban said the mission should be aimed at helping Malian authorities “restore the unity and territorial integrity” of the country and reduce threats posed by terrorist and affiliate groups and transnational organized crime. He said focus must be first on opening a broad-based and inclusive political dialogue, terming a military operation as last resort, where he warned against potential pitfalls.

"I am profoundly aware that if a military intervention in the north is not well conceived and executed, it could worsen an already fragile humanitarian situation and also result in severe human rights abuses." He said.

AU has been seeking endorsement of its mission in Mali, mainly led by the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS that had drafted a military plan, though it said dialogue remained the preferred option in reclaiming back the northern region held by Islamists.

The ECOWAS plan drawn up with help of experts from the African Union, European Union, and the UN had proposed of a 3,300-strong force deployed to the region, which also had set for potential training of about 5,000 Malian troops.

Islamist groups and Tuareg rebels seized control of the northern region after Mali's president was overthrown in March, raising fears of the risks extremists pose in the region and beyond.

The secular separatists have since been sidelined by the Islamists, who had little interest in their aspirations for independence of the region which they refer to as state of Azawad, and set about imposing their version of strict sharia law that saw destruction of ancient shrines in Timbuktu, which sparked an international outcry.

A top al-Qaeda commander in the North African region known as the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has urged Malians to reject foreign intervention as a way of solving the country's conflict.

"To the great and proud Muslim people of Mali we say, the problem in your country is an issue between Muslims," said Abu Mosaab Abdulwadood in a videotaped message obtained by news agency, Al Jazeera.

"It can be solved internally, through reconciliation between Muslims, without having to shed a single drop of blood."