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                       Rebels, Army Clash in Eastern DRC

   Fresh fighting has erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
   between the army and rebel group M23 -- the first clash between the two
   forces in nearly six months.
   The fighting 12 kilometers north of Goma Monday was intense, involving
   mortars, rocket launchers, and aircraft .
   A VOA reporter in Goma says a steady stream of civilians began heading
   south toward the city beginning in the morning.
   Each side is blaming the other for starting the fighting. There was no
   immediate word on casualties.
   M23 captured Goma in November before withdrawing under intense
   international pressure. Subsequent peace talks between the government
   and rebels have largely stalled.
   The first troops of a U.N. "intervention brigade" arrived in Goma this
   month for their mission to combat M23 and other rebel groups.
   The U.N. Security Council authorized the mission in March, after years
   of attempts by the DRC government to stabilize North Kivu and nearby
   provinces. The area is home to many rebel groups who fight over the
   region`s mineral wealth.
   U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is visiting the Great Lakes region
   this week, including a stop in Congo`s capital Kinshasa on Wednesday.
   Earlier this month, a report by the U.N. Joint Human Rights Office
   accused both the DRC army and M23 of committing serious human rights
   violations.
   It said combatants on both sides looted homes and raped civilians,
   among other atrocities.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/rebels-army-clash-in-eastern-drc/1664
   736.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/rebels-army-clash-in-eastern-drc/1664736.html