CHAOTIC scenes have been unfolding in Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the M23 rebel group continues its offensive in the region.
On Saturday there were reports of sporadic gunfire and widespread looting in the city, including at a World Food Programme depot, with residents sheltering in their homes.
It follows conflicting reports about whether the Rwanda-backed rebels had entered the key city of Bukavu, after advances in the region. On Friday M23 fighters seized Kavumu airport, north of Bukavu.
The UN and the European Union have voiced alarm over the worsening conflict.
A threat by Uganda’s army chief to attack a Congolese town has sparked fears the conflict could flare into a wider regional war.
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres told an African Union summit on Saturday a regional escalation must be avoided “at all costs” and there was “no military solution”.
“And the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected,” Guterres continued.
The European Union said it was “urgently” considering all options following the news from Bukavu.
“The ongoing violation of the DRC’s territorial integrity will not go unanswered,” it warned.
The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of sowing chaos in the region in order to benefit from its natural resources – a claim Rwanda has denied.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced from their homes in recent weeks as a result of the rebel advance.
On Saturday, the streets of Bukavu were deserted as residents hid in their homes.
