M23 Rebels Say Will Not Attack UN Special Force

{{M23 rebels have said they will not militarily engage the UN special combat force when it’s deployed on the DRC territory.

The statement was made this morning by M23 President Bertand Bisimwa at the Rebel movement base in Bunagana in DRC.}}

IGIHE reporter at the press conference says Bisimwa is the only official responding to Media questions although supreme leader Gen. Sultan Makenga and other high ranking officials of the rebel movement are present.

U.N. Security Council on Thursday approved the creation of a special combat force that is to carry out “targeted offensive operations” to neutralize armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

M23 rebels said they seek peaceful resolution to DRCongo’s problems and not through military means, “we don’t expect UN special combat force to attack us. We don’t have capacity to fight them.”

The 15-member UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution establishing the intervention brigade within the existing 20,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force in Congo, known as MONUSCO.

Reacting to Gen. Bosco Ntaganda’s suprise move to hand himself in to the US embassy in Kigali with demands to be tranfered to ICC, the M23 President told IGIHE that the rebel movement welcomed the move saying they viewed it as done in the interest of Peace for DRC.

Since the signing of the DRC peace deal(the peace, security and cooperation framework signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Feb. 24.), M23 witnessed an intense internal breakup that left many dead and creation of factions opposing each other.

Bertrand Bisimwa took over the leadership of M23 from Bishop Jean Marie Runiga.

The press conference is exclusively exploring issues including; The 2098 Resolution of Security Council, requesting the deployment of one brigade of peace enforcement in eastern Congo. The on – going peace talks between the government and the M23 in Kampala. The political change within the M23 and general Security issues.

{M23 President Bertand Bisimwa and Gen. Sultani Makenga}

{M23, Rebel Movement President Bertand Bisimwa}

{M23 Supreme leader Gen. Sultani Makenga}