GENEVA
The prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo said on Monday that fighting in the country's eastern region has killed 7,000 people since January.
Speaking at a press briefing with the Association of Accredited Correspondents to the United Nations (ACANU) in Geneva, Judith Suminwa Tuluka said the figure includes all recent conflict zones.
Tuluka stressed that the death toll in Goma is over 3,000, with many civilians among those killed.
When asked if she agrees with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' opening remarks at the 58th session of the Human Rights Council earlier on Monday, she replied that she "fully" does.
Earlier, Guterres warned in his speech that the recent M23 offensive, supported by the Rwandan Defense Forces, has exacerbated a "deadly whirlwind of violence and horrifying human rights abuses" in Congo.
"As more cities fall, the risk of a regional war rises," he said.
Tuluka noted that Congo has nine neighboring countries, and any concern for peace in the country can affect all those neighbors.
"First, what we need is a ceasefire and withdrawal of troops," she urged.
In response to a question about the US's potential role as a peacemaker and what Congo would think of such intervention, she said: "I don't think that would be a bad thing."
She referred to the latest sanctions by the US against Rwanda and said Congo sees this as "help."
The US recently imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s State Minister for Regional Integration James Kabarebe and an M23 spokesperson over their alleged roles in escalating the conflict in eastern Congo.
The M23, one of several armed groups operating in eastern Congo, resurfaced in late 2021 and last week captured the city of Bukavu after seizing Goma in January. At least 3,000 people, including peacekeepers, have been killed, and thousands more displaced in the fighting around Goma.
The rebels are now reportedly advancing toward Uvira, a city less than 30 km from Burundi’s economic capital, Bujumbura.
Kinshasa has long accused Rwanda of backing the M23 and deploying troops in eastern Congo to support the rebels -- allegations that Kigali has repeatedly denied.
