The M23 rebel group in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has called on the Congolese government to engage in a dialogue to address the crisis in the country.
The group has been engaged in a fierce battle with the DRC army.
Addressing an African Union (AU) summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Saturday, UN Chief Antonio Guterres said a “regional escalation must be avoided at all costs”.
He also told African leaders that the fighting which is raging in South Kivu as a result of the continuation of the M23 offensive threatens to push the entire region over the precipice.
In a statement, after seizing control of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province, on Sunday, February 16, and North Kivu, both of which have vast mineral resources, the M23 rebel group has reached out to Kinshasa government to engage in a dialogue that would lead to a lasting peace in the DRC.
The group has since captured several towns in the country.
The DRC government has relied on Southern African Development Community (SADC) and The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) peacekeepers to bring stability in the country.