According to field reports, battles broke out in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo between the rebel March 23 Movement and the army and its loyal militias, while local sources reported on Monday that civilians were kidnapped by the rebels.
Clashes, which began on Sunday, continued in Bichosha and Tongo regions, according to residents of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
A military source said, "A fight broke out (Sunday) between us and the March 23 Movement in Bishousha. Today, in Marangara, fighting took place between national armed groups (self-defense militias) and the March 23 Movement, because our forces are not in Tongo."
Marangara is a village in Tongo.
A security source confirmed the clashes and added, "The army is still maintaining its positions."
Civil society official Cyprien Ngoragore confirmed that the rebels had kidnapped about 50 people in Tongo and the surrounding areas, accusing them of collaborating with Nyatura (a militia against the March 23 Movement) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (a Rwandan armed opposition group), explaining that "only about 15 people" were released. Most of them are women.
He added that "at least 18 civilians accused of complicity" with the two armed groups are still in the custody of the March 23 Movement rebels.
Two relatives of the abductees said the hostages were taken to the center of Rutshuru, which is now a stronghold of the March 23 Movement.
A relative said, "We tried to contact the March 23 Movement, and they told us that our brothers are alive."
Back to the interface
The March 23 Movement - the majority of whose members belong to the Tutsi - was defeated in 2013, but it returned and raised its arms at the end of last year, and in recent months it occupied large areas of North Kivu bordering with Rwanda.
On Friday, the rebel movement announced its withdrawal from a strategic location near Goma, but the army described the announcement as a "hoax."