Sawt Falasteen - M23 seize key city as fears of DR Congo breakup mount

Scores of people have fled since the fighters reached outlying districts of Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province, on Friday. It was barely defended by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC).

The fall of the city of one million people gives the M23 total control of Lake Kivu, following its capture of Goma, capital of neighbouring North Kivu province, at the end of January.

Growing international calls have been made for Rwanda to end its military backing for M23, though it still denies that its troops are in the DRC.

As they entered Bukavu, M23 fighters were applauded by some residents on the streets or huddled on balconies, AFP journalists noted.

Near the border post linking the town with neighbouring Rwanda, some chanted: "You're the ones we've been waiting for, we need change in this country, we want work."

"We have welcomed our liberators, it's an immense joy that floods my heart," said Kigohwa Kalimbasha, a Bukavu resident.

Some called on the troops to march on Kinshasa, the country's capital.

The Congolese armed forces who abandoned Bukavu on Friday left behind weapons that were collected by civilians and bandits.

There was extensive looting across the weekend and most residents took refuge in their homes for safety.

- 'Regional escalation' -

Men, women and children, some of whom picked up weapons left by the retreating army, stormed several parts of the city.

Witnesses saw looters making off with oil, bags of flour and cases of beer under their arms.

In a statement on Saturday, M23 instructed Bukavu's population to organise "into vigilance committees to ensure security".

Some gunfire could still be heard Sunday, especially near the town's military base.

"M23 fighters are chasing some soldiers who were still hanging around in the camp and some civilians who were taking part in the looting," said one resident reached by phone.

Thousands of refugees have fled into neighbouring Burundi from the eastern DRC since Rwandan-backed forces seized Bukavu, said a humanitarian source and a Burundian minister Sunday.

"There are more than 10,000 of them and others have continued to arrive today," said a source in a non-governmental organisation on the Burundian side of the border.

Burundi's Interior Minister Martin Niteretse confirmed to AFP that refugees had been crossing into Burundi but the government was still evaluating their numbers.

- DRC denounces Rwanda -

In a statement the DRC government said it was following developments in Bukavu "hour-by-hour", and accused Rwanda of "plans of occupation, of pillages" in the east.

With fears that the offensive could ignite a regional war, the international community has multiplied calls for a de-escalation and ceasefire, so far in vain.

"We don't want a balkanisation of eastern DRC," the African Union's Peace and Security Commissioner Bankole Adeoye told reporters at a summit in Addis Ababa.

Without mentioning Rwanda, he added: "We are calling for the immediate removal of M23 and their supporters from all towns and cities including Goma airport."

UN chief Antonio Guterres, speaking Saturday at the opening of the AU summit, demanded that the DRC's "territorial integrity" be respected and a regional war avoided.

The DRC claims that some 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are in the east of the country.

The conflict with M23 has lasted more than three years, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of wanting to control the mining and trade of minerals used in batteries and electronic equipment, and also of trying to appropriate land for agriculture.

Rwanda denies the charges, arguing that its security is threatened by armed groups in the region, notably the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), created by former Hutu leaders linked to the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda.

burs-jj/sbk

F.Qawasmeh--SF-PST