In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the fighting between the rebel coalition led by the M23 and the Congolese army continues unabated. The militias are gaining more and more territory in the South Kivu province and captured the provincial capital of Bukavu on Sunday.

According to the Reuters news agency, the rebels saw little resistance from government forces against the unprecedented expansion of territory they controlled after years of fighting.

One Bakavu resident described the situation to DW as chaos, with looting at markets and stores. The resident lived near a military camp of the Congolese arm. He said on Saturday afternoon, fleeing soldiers set fire to their ammunition depot.

"A projectile even landed in my house and destroyed my property and equipment, the windows were broken."

On Friday, the militias announced they had taken control of the strategically important Bukavu airport, located 30 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of the city of Kavumu. Independent observers confirmed the M23's account.

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According to Ciaran Wrons-Passmann, Managing Director of the Ecumenical Network Central Africa in Berlin, the capture of Bukavu airport was significant.

"This would cut off the entire east from the rest of the Democratic Republic of Congo and make it more difficult to supply the Congolese army with military equipment and troops," Wrons-Passmann told DW. He said........

© Deutsche Welle