A series of videos show that the fight to protect Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by Congolese and peace mission forces has reached the city centre and also show protests in the capital, Kinshasa, by people who are unhappy with what is happening in Goma.
Peacekeeping forces are shown last week trying to protect themselves against the advance of the M3 rebels to Goma, and this week the fighting has reached a point where Congolese forces are seen deploying from Goma on Tuesday.
The fighting near Goma saw 13 South African soldiers killed last week and at the weekend.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday the attacks on peacekeepers also resulted in the deaths of members of the Sadc mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) from other troop-contributing countries, Malawi and Tanzania, as well as members of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC brigade.
He said the South African soldiers in the DRC are part of both Sadc and UN efforts to bring peace and protect thousands of lives that are threatened by the conflict.
Meanwhile, rioters stormed embassies and started fires in Kinshasa on Tuesday.
Reuters reported the demonstrators targeted Western and African countries they accuse of complicity in Kigali’s support of M23 rebels, who have overrun the eastern provincial capital Goma.
Missions belonging to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the US, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and the UN were assaulted, European diplomats told Reuters.
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