UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Members of the March 23 Movement fighting in eastern DRC are condemned for their indiscriminate use of force, the U.N. secretary-general said Friday.
A Tanzanian member of a U.N. peacekeeping force in Democratic Republic of Congo was killed in fighting this week. The U.N mission, known by its French acronym MONUSCO, said several civilians were killed during fighting between Congolese forces and M23 this week.
A statement issued Friday by the office of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in the eastern DRC.
"He condemns in particular the indiscriminate shelling by the M23 that caused deaths, injuries and damage among the civilian population in the eastern DRC and in the immediate border area in Rwanda, as well as among United Nations peacekeepers," the statement said.
Ban said he's tasked the Great Lakes and DRC special envoys with working to find a peaceful solution to the situation.
M23 took control of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu province, briefly last year. Former leader Bosco Ntaganda surrendered to the International Criminal Court this year to face war crimes charges.
Ban said DRC peace "spoilers and those who violate international law must be held accountable" for their actions.
