South Africa calls for immediate ceasefire in DR Congo

The South African government on Friday called for a cessation of all hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Members of the international community including the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) should once again assist towards finding an amicable solution so as to bring about stability in the DRC, the South African government said in a statement. The statement "condemns, in the strongest terms, the attack on the town of Goma on 21 November 2012 by M23, Raia Mutomboki and other armed groups against the Congolese army (FARDC) and MONUSCO ( the United Nations peacekeeping force in the DRC)." "The South African Government is deeply concerned by the humanitarian impact of this attack, particularly on vulnerable groups," the statement said. On Tuesday, the M23 rebels advanced into Goma, forcing the DRC army to retreat and leaving MONUSCO alone to face the rebels. Two South African peacekeepers were wounded last week by shrapnel from what appeared to be a stray mortar during a gun battle between the DRC army and rebels. But the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) said its peacekeepers in the DRC were not actively engaging the M23 rebels. South African peacekeepers faced no threat from the rebels who have captured Goma in the eastern DRC, said SANDF spokesman Xolani Mabanga. South African peacekeepers, estimated at 1,000, form part of MONUSCO. Mabanga said South Africa had not decided to evacuate any of its troops from Goma as suggested by media reports. Evacuation would be up to the MONUSCO force commander to decide, he added. MONUSCO still controlled Goma airport which meant the troops could be evacuated if necessary, Mabanga said.