The military governor of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has died from injuries sustained during the army’s fight against the M23 rebel group as it advances towards the city of Goma.
Maj Gen Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, who led the province since 2023, died after being shot near the frontline on Thursday, government and UN sources told various news agencies.
The circumstances around his death remain unclear, but Cirimwami, who led army operations in the province, was visiting troops in Kasangezi, around eight miles from Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu province.
More than 178,000 people have been displaced in the past two weeks alone as the M23 gained swathes of territory in eastern DRC. On Friday it was clashing with the army outside Goma. The UK, US and France urged citizens to leave the city, warning the situation could deteriorate rapidly.
Earlier this month, the rebels captured the towns of Minova, Katale and Masisi. On Tuesday, they took control of Minova, a vital trade hub for Goma about 30 miles from the city. Two days later, they captured Sake, a town about 15 miles from Goma.
SOLDIERS KILLED
On Saturday, South Africa, Malawi and Uruguay announced that soldiers from their respective armies were killed as they battled to halt the advance of M23 rebel fighters in the eastern DRC.
The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) said nine of its soldiers were killed during a pitched battle with M23 fighters as they attempted to advance on the city of Goma, the key city in the mineral-rich east.
“The M23 hostile forces had launched a full-scale attack on our troops with the intention of taking over Goma but were unable to advance due to the heroic resistance put up by our gallant fighters,” the SANDF said in a statement.
The SANDF said that the number of injured had yet to be confirmed and some had varying degrees of injuries.
Two of the dead South African soldiers were part of the UN peacekeeping force, while the other seven South Africans were part of the Southern African Development Community Mission, also known as SAMIDRC.
“The rebel group M23 attacked the SAMIDRC in Goma to which SAMIDRC retaliated and successfully repelled the armed group,” the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat posted on X.
“SADC commends the actions of the brave men and women from SAMIDRC who sacrificed their lives for the Region,” it added.
Malawi Defence Force (MDF) also said that three of its peacekeepers were killed.
“We confirm the loss of three of our courageous soldiers who were part of the SADC Mission in the DRC,” spokesman Emmanuel Mlelemba said.
“These soldiers fell in the line of duty during an encounter with the M23 rebel group operating in eastern DRC. As the situation remains volatile, further details will be shared later,” he added.
A Uruguayan member of the UN peacekeeping force was also killed while four others were wounded, Uruguay’s military announced.
