海角大神

The U.N.聽Security Council聽strongly condemned M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo聽on Tuesday for seizing a provincial capital, as the United Nations defended its peacekeepers who gave up the battle for the city of聽Goma.

The 15-member council unanimously adopted a resolution that also requested that U.N. Secretary-General聽Ban Ki-moon聽"report in the coming days" on allegations of external support for M23, upon which it would be ready to take further measures.

M23 fighters, who U.N. experts say are backed by neighboring聽Rwanda聽and aided by聽Uganda, entered聽Goma聽on Tuesday following days of clashes with U.N.-backed Congolese soldiers that forced tens of thousands of residents to flee.

Rwanda聽and聽Uganda聽have repeatedly denied the allegations made by the聽Security Council's Group of Experts in a confidential report, which was seen by Reuters last month.

The council expressed "deep concern at reports indicating that external support continues to be provided to the M23, including through troop reinforcement, tactical advice and the supply of equipment, causing a significant increase of the military abilities of the M23, and demands that any and all outside support to the M23 cease immediately."

It demanded "the immediate withdrawal of the M23 from聽Goma, the cessation of any further advances by the M23 and that its members immediately and permanently disband and lay down arms."

The聽Security Council聽also said it was ready to consider additional targeted sanctions against the leadership of M23 and also those providing external support for M23 and violating an arms embargo on the聽Democratic Republic of Congo.

The U.N. experts group last week recommended sanctions be imposed on Rwandan Defense Minister聽James Kabarebe, who it has accused of commanding the M23 rebellion, and other Rwandan officials, diplomats said. The committee took no action on the Rwandans, but did designate M23 leader聽Sultani Makenga聽for sanctions.

Peacekeepers no army substitute聽

Human Rights Watch聽was disappointed that the Security Council had not named聽Rwanda聽for sanctions in Tuesday's resolution and called on the聽United States, which has protected聽Kigali聽on the council, to support stronger action.

"If the聽Security Council聽is to protect civilians in聽Goma, it needs to send a clearer message to聽Kigali," said Human Rights Watch聽United Nations聽director聽Philippe Bolopion. "For the sake of聽Goma's population, the U.S. should support urgent sanctions against the M23's foreign backers."

U.S. State Department 蝉辫辞办别蝉飞辞尘补苍听Victoria Nuland聽said in a statement that the聽United States聽"demands that any and all outside support and supplying of equipment to the M23 cease immediately."

A senior U.N. source told Reuters that the peacekeepers gave up defending聽Goma, a frontier city of about 1 million people, on Tuesday after the Congolese troops evacuated under pressure from the advancing rebels.

"MONUSCO (the U.N. mission in Congo), of course, cannot substitute for the efforts of聽national security forces聽including the FARDC (Congo national army)," said聽Eduardo del Buey, U.N. Secretary-General聽Ban Ki-moon's spokesman.

Del Buey said there were about 1,500 peacekeepers in聽Goma聽who would stay "to protect civilians from imminent threat." About 170 non-essential U.N. staff left聽Goma聽on Tuesday and more were due to be relocated on Wednesday.

"Reports indicate that the M23 has wounded civilians, is continuing abductions of children and women, is destroying property and is intimidating journalists and those who have attempted to resist their control," Del Buey said.