DR Congo army takes control of Kibumba locality after M23 rebels flee

The DR Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) have taken control of Kibumba locality, some 23 km from Goma, after having dislodged the M23 rebels, military and civilian sources from the locality said. After one month of a lull, fighting between FARDC and M23 resumed on Friday morning at Kanyamahoro, northern Goma, the headquarters of North Kivu province, and continued until Saturday, with both camps accusing each other of being responsible for the renewed hostilities. The FARDC spokesman in North Kivu province, Olivier Hamuli, reiterated that "it was the Congolese army that was in control of Kibumba locality, and would continue with the ongoing efforts to liberate all localities under M23 occupation." "We are now under the control of the national army, the rebels could not withstand the FARDC attacks," a resident of Kibumba who did not wish to be named, told Xinhua. The resident added that the rebels were heading to Hehu hills, situated near the Congolese border with Rwanda. The fighting has resumed just a week after the suspension of the Kampala talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) government and the M23 rebels to find a lasting solution to the crisis in the eastern part of the country.