Newspaper Article:
RDC: Conflit entre les FARDC et le M23 près de Sake – Actualités en direct
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 7, 2025, new clashes have been reported on several hills overlooking the strategic city of Sake, located about twenty kilometers from Goma, in the Masisi territory of North Kivu. These battles pit the rebels of M23, supported by the Rwandan army (RDF), against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), assisted by the Volunteers for the Defense of the Nation (VDP), commonly known as “wazalendo.”
According to local civil society sources, it was the M23 rebels who launched the assault with the aim of seizing Sake. However, they were repelled by loyalist forces. Ismaël Matungulu, a journalist displaced from Sake, reported, “The clashes broke out at 4:00 am. It is the M23 rebels who attacked the wazalendo near three antennas, at Kiuli, Kimoka, and surrounding areas. The VDP are retaliating. The fighting continues up to this moment. It is therefore difficult to provide any specific casualty figures. Almost every day, gunfire exchanges are reported in the hills overlooking Sake, but neither the M23 nor the wazalendo are advancing even a single meter. Everyone is holding their initial positions.”
Tensions Rise in Sake
Sake, which has been home to thousands of displaced people for over a year, is living in fear on this Tuesday. Many residents who had returned, estimated at 20%, are fleeing once again. Prince Sabuni, a resident of Sake, shared, “I am currently in Kimoka, 2 km from Sake, and it’s chaos. My brothers and sisters who cannot bear the explosions are now heading towards Goma. For now, the clashes are reported on the side of Lutobogo and around three antennas of Sake. So, at the moment, it’s terrible in Lutobogo, Vunano, and around the antennas of Sake.”
International Concerns and Calls for Action
Local administrative and military authorities have not yet issued any statements regarding this new M23 attempt to take control of the city of Sake. The sounds of heavy and light weapons reverberate through Sake, reigniting fears of tragic events similar to those that occurred last Friday in the displaced camps in the Mugunga and Lac Vert neighborhoods of Goma.
These clashes come at a time when the European Union (EU) and the USA have strongly condemned the recent occupation of the city of Masisi and the surrounding areas by the M23 rebels, violating the ceasefire. They urge the M23 to withdraw immediately and call on Rwanda to cease all cooperation with this armed group, while demanding the withdrawal of its military forces from Congolese territory.
Jonathan Kombi and Josué Mutanava
Personal Story:
As I sit here writing about the conflict in Sake, my thoughts drift to my own family members who have been caught in similar situations in the past. The fear, uncertainty, and sense of displacement that come with such violence are all too real for many people around the world. It’s a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the resilience of those who must endure such turmoil. Let us all hope for a swift resolution and lasting peace for the people of Sake and the surrounding areas.