The UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) condemns brutal activities of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and calls for immediate end of hostilities in the region, MONUSCO's head Bintou Keita said on Friday.
"MONUSCO also strongly condemns the continued activities and atrocities committed by the ADF, whose brutal attacks on civilians have caused immense suffering in eastern DRC," Keita told a briefing.
The UN mission also urgently called for an immediate ceasefire and end of hostilities without conditions by the M23 rebel group, Keita said, adding that the group's military actions threaten regional security.
"MONUSCO will continue working alongside the Congolese government, regional partners and the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to pursue a path towards lasting peace," the head of the mission said.
The confrontation between the M23 rebel movement and the government in Kinshasa has continued for years, interrupted by brief periods of truce mediated by Angola. The DRC government accuses neighboring Rwanda of supporting the rebels and urges it to withdraw its troops from the country. Rwanda has rejected all accusations. In late January, the M23 rebels captured Goma, the capital of the eastern DRC province of North Kivu. Last week, they entered Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.
Founded in 1995, the ADF operates in both the DRC and Uganda, where it is listed as a terrorist organization. The United Nations accuses the ADF of killing hundreds of civilians since 2014.