M23 and DR Congo army observe truce during Ban Ki-moon's visit to Goma

KINSHASA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The M23 rebels and the DR Congo national army on Thursday observed a truce to allow UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to visit Goma, the capital of North-Kivu province, sources said.

"Since the beginning of this conflict, we have been asking the Kinshasa government to support the peaceful resolution of the problem," said Amani Kabasha, the M23 spokesman.

Kabasha said that the decision to observe the truce was encouraged by different personalities on the African continent.

"We got orders not to attack these criminals of M23," a DR Congo army officer who did not wish to be named told Xinhua.

Ban arrived in Goma on Thursday after days of violent fighting between the national army and the M23 rebels. The fighting which lasted for three days resulted into deaths, injuries and massive displacement of the population towards Mugunga III camp.

Before going to Goma, Ban had addressed a press conference, calling on the DR Congo army and the M23 rebels to cease fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

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