UNITED NATIONS — U.N. experts say a growing number of armed groups in Congo appear willing to surrender under the right conditions following January’s inauguration of opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi as president. The experts monitoring U.N. sanctions against Congo said in a report to the Security Council circulated Thursday that “the apparent willingness of armed groups to demobilize should be seen as an opportunity to reduce violence and restore peace and security” in the country. Nonetheless, the panel of experts said numerous local and foreign armed groups continue to pose “serious security threats” in Congo, attacking civilians and soldiers, and targeting army camps and depots in order to seize weapons and ammunition. The experts said the ADF’s recent propaganda “suggested a willingness to be associated with other Islamist groups” but they found no evidence of direct collaboration with them. He said he was freed, but the officer kept the vehicle and “replaced the coltan with sand,” the experts said.

Source: Washington Post June 14, 2019 00:27 UTC