Thousands flee as attack blamed on M23 rebels claims 15 lives in DRC's east

The M23 militia fighters have launched sweeping attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC], killing at least 15 people and leading thousands to flee, witnesses and government officials said.

Testimony from locals, health workers and government officials on Monday pointed to attacks in the Rutshuru region of the eastern province of North Kivu.

"Around four in the morning, the M23 attacked our forces in Kirima," local official Maisha Faustin told the AFP news agency, adding that they had cut off a major supply route for the Congolese army.

At Nyanzale, about 10 kilometres west of Kirima, at least 15 people including children died in the clashes.

"Bombs rained on the residents," said Ombeni Gasiga, a leading civil society member in Nyanzale. "The whole population fled," he said.

"We were forced to flee with the sick to save our lives," said a worker at a health facility.

Several sources said at least 10 people, including children, died when a projectile landed near a building.

A health worker said 12 people were wounded, adding: "Sadly five of them died, including three children."

DRC-Rwanda spat

Fighting between the mostly Tutsi M23 militia and Congolese government forces has flared in recent days in the Rutshuru and Masisi regions. Access to the North Kivu capital Goma has been virtually severed.

The DRC, the UN and Western countries say Rwanda is supporting the militia in a bid to control vast mineral resources, an allegation Kigali denies.

The European Union on Monday joined the United States and France in condemning Kigali.

"The EU condemns Rwanda's support for M23 and military presence on Congolese territory. It strongly urges Rwanda to immediately withdraw all its military personnel from the DRC as well as to terminate all support to and cooperation with M23," a statement said.

Pakistan peacekeepers replaced by those of DRC Last month, the United Nations began pulling peacekeepers out of DRC, moving to end a 25-year presence as conflict surges in the east of the long-troubled African state.

DRC demanded the withdrawal of the remaining 13,500 troops and 2,000 police in regions bordering Rwanda and Burundi despite international concerns over rampant violence.

At an official ceremony at the Kamanyola base in South Kivu province, the first to be handed over, the flags of the United Nations and the Pakistan peacekeepers at the base, were replaced by those of the DRC.

Despite its vast size and mineral resources, DRC is one of the world's poorest countries with two-thirds of its 100-million population living on under $2.15 a day.