One side fire was announced by the rebels who seized the eastern city of Guma

Rwandan -backed rebels who seized a major city in the eastern Congo announced a unilateral ceasefire, citing humanitarian reasons.

However, there was no sign of giving up controlling Juma in the heart of the area of ​​the region to trillion dollars from mineral wealth.

“We must make it clear that we have no intention to pick up Bocafo or other areas. However, we repeat our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population,” said Lawrence Kanooka, M23 spokesman.

The announcement on Monday came after the World Health Organization said that at least 900 people had passed away last week between the M23 rebels and the Congolese forces after the rebels seized the city of Goma. About 2,900 people were injured in the fighting, according to the United Nations Health Agency.

The rebels claim that they are defending the ethnic Tutsi

The M23 rebels are supported by about 4000 soldiers from the neighboring Rwanda, according to United Nations experts, much more than it was in 2012 when they seized Goma for the first time.

It is the most powerful of more than 100 armed groups competing for control of the East, which is rich in minerals in the Congo, which carries a decisive broad deposit for many technology in the world.

M23 says he is defending the ethnic totsi in the Congo. Rwanda has claimed that Tutsi is persecuted by Hotos and the former militias responsible for the 1994 group genocide, which includes 800,000 Tutsi in that country.

Several Hotos fled to the Congo after the genocide and established the democratic forces to liberate the Rwanda militia group. Rwanda says the group is “completely integrated” in the Congolese army, which denies the charges.

It is reported that the rebels were advancing in another capital, Boukavo, five days after the fight against Gouma last week. But the spokesperson denied that this was their intention in his statement.

There was no immediate comment from the Congo government, although the joint summit by the regional blocs in southern and eastern Africa is scheduled later this week. Kenya President William Roto said on Monday that the Presidents of the Congo and Rwanda would attend.

Families to determine the bodies

Meanwhile, the families were desperate to get to know their loved ones, as the body bags were loaded on burial trucks in Goma.

Cesa Nenayezi remembers crying how her son died from a gunshot wound.

In reference to the militia group that the Congolese army allied: “Mozalindo was called in his back (and) out of his chest,” referring to the militia group allied by the Congolese army. “His entire chest was open.”

Louise Shalocoma said that her son’s body could not be recovered immediately from the streets because a bomb exploded when people tried to recover it.

My God, my fourth child, when I saw that he died, I said, “O Lord, what will I do? She said.

Goma Hospitals are struggling

Goma Hospitals are also struggling to keep up with hundreds of injured people who are flowing.

Petisda Hospital says it receives more than 100 new patients every day, which increased his ability to 250 beds. It is one of several hospitals in Juma visited by the Associated Press that does not contain enough for individuals and supplies.

Kyeshero is also severely crowded, as it reached more than 200 percent of its capacity in some days, according to Joseph Amadum Sagara, the coordinator of the doctors ’without borders, runs the hospital.

Hospital medical workers say they are treating an increasing number of patients with bullet wounds.

“We removed 48 bullets yesterday,” said Johnny Cassangati, a surgeon, on Friday, examining a patient under a tent.

In the past, hospitals in Goma can transport the wounded patients by the boat to the main city of Boukavo, south of Kivu, 180 km south. But the transport was suspended through Lake Kivu during the rebellion and the roads were often cut.

The fighting in Goma and around it also disrupted supply chains, which led to a lack of medical supplies on which relief groups depended. Some of them previously entered the city through its international airport, which is now under the control of the rebels.

“Goma has been cut off from the world,” Virgin Napoltano, Emergency Coordinator in Juma, told doctors without borders.

When more people arrived at hospitals with fiery injuries or shrapnel, many forced the family’s participation while others lying on the ground, suffering in pain while waiting for medical attention.

“This is the first time that I face this,” said Patrick Pagamohonda, who was injured in the fighting. “This war caused a lot of harm, but at least we are still breathing.”