M23 Rebels Battle for Key Town Near Goma, DRC.
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Heavy fighting has broken out in Sake, a town just 20 km from the city of Goma in eastern Congo. M23 rebels are trying to capture the strategic location from Congolese troops.
Sake is seen as the last line of defense for Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. If the town falls, Goma could be next. The rebels are said to have support from Rwanda, which Rwanda denies.
Witnesses say Sake is constantly under shelling and gunfire. The Congolese army is struggling to hold off the rebel assault. "Sake is the final barrier between the rebels and Goma," said an army officer who asked not to be named. The situation is critical."
Thousands of people have run from Sake toward Goma. They are carrying what they can on the crowded roads. Those still in the town describe non-stop shooting. "We are running for our lives," said Celestine Byamungu, who fled with her children.
In Goma, people are getting ready for a possible rebel attack. The military governor of North Kivu, Major General Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, has told people to stay calm. But fear is rising as the sounds of fighting get closer.
The flood of refugees from Sake is making things worse in Goma. Aid groups are already stretched thin, and they are now facing thousands more people in need.
Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi says Rwanda is helping the M23 rebels. He wants other countries to punish Rwanda and support Congo's troops.
The battle for Sake has become a symbol of the wider war. For the Congolese army, keeping the town is key to protecting Goma. For the rebels, taking Sake would be a big step toward controlling the whole province.
As the fighting rages on, the people of eastern Congo can only hope for an end to the violence that has plagued the region for so long. But with neither side showing signs of backing down, peace still seems far away.
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Heavy fighting has broken out in Sake, a town just 20 km from the city of Goma in eastern Congo. M23 rebels are trying to capture the strategic location from Congolese troops.
Sake is seen as the last line of defense for Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. If the town falls, Goma could be next. The rebels are said to have support from Rwanda, which Rwanda denies.
Witnesses say Sake is constantly under shelling and gunfire. The Congolese army is struggling to hold off the rebel assault. "Sake is the final barrier between the rebels and Goma," said an army officer who asked not to be named. The situation is critical."
Thousands of people have run from Sake toward Goma. They are carrying what they can on the crowded roads. Those still in the town describe non-stop shooting. "We are running for our lives," said Celestine Byamungu, who fled with her children.
In Goma, people are getting ready for a possible rebel attack. The military governor of North Kivu, Major General Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, has told people to stay calm. But fear is rising as the sounds of fighting get closer.
The flood of refugees from Sake is making things worse in Goma. Aid groups are already stretched thin, and they are now facing thousands more people in need.
Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi says Rwanda is helping the M23 rebels. He wants other countries to punish Rwanda and support Congo's troops.
The battle for Sake has become a symbol of the wider war. For the Congolese army, keeping the town is key to protecting Goma. For the rebels, taking Sake would be a big step toward controlling the whole province.
As the fighting rages on, the people of eastern Congo can only hope for an end to the violence that has plagued the region for so long. But with neither side showing signs of backing down, peace still seems far away.
