Bloody clash leaves 30 dead, 20 injured as army, pro-government militia clash in eastern DR Congo
At least 30 people were killed and 20 injured in a bomb blast in Sange, South Kivu, after clashes between DR Congo’s army and a pro-government militia, days after a US-brokered peace deal.
At least 30 people were killed and 20 others injured in a bomb blast in Sange, South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday evening, following a violent clash between the Congolese army and a pro-government militia.
Eyewitnesses said the fighting involved the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the Wazalendo militia, which supports the army in its operations against insurgents.
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The explosion happened after a fierce gun battle between the two sides, leaving civilians trapped in the crossfire.
“FARDC soldiers were coming from the front lines and wanted to reach Uvira,” Faraja Mahano Robert, a civil society leader, told AP News.
“Once in Sange, they were ordered to stop, but some resisted. They began shooting at each other, and then a bomb went off, killing many people.”
Residents flee towards Burundi
Additional eyewitness accounts said many residents fled towards Burundi for safety. Others described the situation as chaotic, saying it is now extremely difficult to distinguish soldiers from rebels.
The attack came less than a week after a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending fighting between FARDC and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group in eastern Congo.
The deal, signed in Washington last week by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, was hailed by the White House as “historic”.
“It is an amazing day: great day for Africa, great day for the world, and for these two countries,” US President Donald Trump said on December 4.
“And they have so much to be proud of.”
Fighting despite peac deal
The peace deal began taking shape in March when Tshisekedi met Kagame in Qatar. After months of talks, an agreement was reached in June and was formally signed last week.
However, fighting has continued in eastern DR Congo despite the agreement.
On Monday, Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of violating the deal, claiming its forces launched attacks from Bugarama, causing deaths and widespread destruction.
“The very next day after the signing, units of the Rwandan Defence Forces conducted and supported heavy weapons attacks launched from the Rwandan town of Bugarama, causing significant human and material damage,” he said.
He described the bombing as an “aggression by proxy” and rejected claims that the violence was the result of internal rebellion.
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