(Reuters) – Four of their soldiers were killed in clashes in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo against Rwanda rebels, which raises the death toll between the United Nations peacekeeping forces and South Africa peacekeepers to at least by Sunday.
The three -year rebellion has escalated by the M23 rebel group in January, where the rebels took control of more than the lands of the country in Central Africa more than ever, and the United Nations warned that violence may turn into a wider regional war.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss the crisis – one day before the scheduled date – according to diplomats.
The United Nations in Malawi said in a post on the X website, on Saturday evening, that three Malawi soldiers working on the mission in the Congo were killed, without providing any other details.
The Uruguay army announced the killing of one of its soldiers in a statement on Saturday evening, adding that two others were wounded.
“Various measures have been taken to improve the security of our forces operating in opposite conditions,” the statement said.
Earlier on Saturday, South Africa said that nine of its citizens were killed in the fighting, including two of the United Nations Mission in the Congo (Monosco), and seven of a separate mission in South Africa.
The United Nations Mission to Stabilize in the Democratic Republic of the Congo immediately responded to the requests for comment.
The Congo, the United Nations and others accuse the neighboring Rwanda of fueling the conflict of its forces and weapons. Rwanda denies this, but the Congo Army said on Saturday that Rwandan snipers were responsible for the killing of the northern military ruler Kivu on the confrontation line on Friday.
A spokesman for the Rwanda government did not immediately respond to a request to comment on this accusation.
Hundreds of displaced people fled to the province's capital, Juma. Dioute heard gunfire early Sunday morning, which led to a state of panic in some areas.
“Rwanda is trying to enter by all means, but we are steadfast,” a military source told Reuters.
“It is the war, there are losses everywhere … the residents must remain calm, we are fighting,” the person said.
