M23 rebels who are allegedly backed by Rwanda, a claim repeatedly denied by Kigali, have seized the town of Kanyabayonga, a strategic town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking to French media outlet, Agence France-Presse, AFP, an official who spoke under condition of anonymity said “Kanyabayonga has been in the hands of the M23 since Friday evening.”
Kanyabayonga is home to more than 60,000 people and tens of thousands of people have fled there in recent months, driven from their homes by the advance of the rebels. The town is considered a pathway to Butembo and Beni in the north, strongholds of the Nande tribe and major commercial centers.
