Rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo took control of several towns in the eastern portion of the country, including the strategic town of Rutshuru.
The M23 rebels are led by Gen. Bosco Ntaganda, a defected officer who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
“We took control of the town of Rutshuru before noon and sent the (Congolese army) fleeing,” Lt. Col. Vianney Kazarama of the rebel group told Reuters.
The rebels once belonged to the army but defected along with their commander Gen. Ntaganda.
The eastern portion of the DR Congo has suffered a series of wars since 1994 after hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hutus from Rwanda crossed the border escaping the Rwandan genocide.
Local official Omar Kavota told The Associated Press that international aid is needed.
“We appeal to the international community to do something to protect the civilians who fled the fighting and are living in fear,” he was quoted as saying.
According to some reports, the rebels said they planned to withdraw from the towns.
“Even though we have taken these districts, we will withdraw and leave them to MONUSCO and national police,” said another rebel leader, Col. Sultani Makenga, speaking from a border area near Uganda, according to AFP. MONUSCO is the U.N. peacekeeping force in the Congo.
