The Council reiterated on Monday in an emergency closed-door meeting its condemnation of the operations of armed groups in the east of the DRC, in particular the offensive of the March 23 Movement (M23), as declared by the ambassador of Guyana, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. The Council also condemned the violent demonstrations, over the weekend and on Monday, against the United Nations Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) and diplomatic headquarters.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their “full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC”, and called on all actors to end violence, respect international humanitarian law, and resume dialogue for the ending of hostilities.

As the meeting was going on, a report came in on the launch of a surface-to-air missile by the Rwandan army against the DRC.

A UN document, released by the media, reported that on Wednesday the Rwandan Defense Forces allegedly launched a missile at a UN observation drone, without hitting its target.

The report also stated that the missile was launched from an armored vehicle in an area controlled by the M23, which French sources also confirmed.

The report included two aerial photographs taken by the drone against which the missile was launched, which show an armored vehicle equipped with a radar system and missile launcher.

This Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of 2,900 members of the South African National Defense Force to the DRC as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission to fight armed groups.

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