[JURIST] In an emergency meeting on Saturday, the UN Security Council [official website] condemned [press release] a series of guerrilla attacks by M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This came after the most recent attack by the group in the eastern region of the DRC as they advance to Goma. The Security Council called for an end to all support for the rebel group and for M23 to end their attacks. In addition, the Security Council also demanded the M23 allow humanitarian aid to those displaced by the violence. There have been 4,000 more internally displaced persons since the outbreak of the current fighting [UN News report]. This adds to the existing 80,000 already displaced in the region.

The violence and unrest in the eastern part of the DRC has been a focus of the international community. Earlier this week, a UN rights body released a report [JURIST report] that confirmed the arbitrary executions of at least 264 civilians. Last month Ugandan officials denied [JURIST report] UN Security Council allegations that Uganda had helped assisting M23 rebels with troops and supplies in the DRC. Similarly in August, the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] received requests [JURIST report] to investigate Rwandan President Paul Kagame [official profile] for allegedly backing armed rebels in the DRC. In the same month, the UN Security Council reiterated their condemnation [JURIST report] of M23, demanding foreign entities cease aid to the rebel group.