Top UN official in Congo welcomes 2-week truce in the east, where violence is at ‘alarming levels’

Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The top U.N. official in Congo has welcomed a two-week humanitarian cease-fire in its mineral-rich east, where she says violence has reached “alarming levels” and risks provoking a wider regional conflict. Special envoy Bintou Keita wouldn’t say whether the truce that began last Friday is holding but said she and everyone hoped for hostilities to cease. Keita on Monday told the U.N. Security Council, however, that she was extremely concerned at the rapid expansion of attacks by the M23 rebel group and its capture of several strategic locations despite operations conducted by the Congolese army supported by U.N. peacekeepers and southern Africa forces. Keita said Rwanda’s support to the M23 threatened to provoke greater conflict.