Page 12 - AHATA

A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 24 February 2025
Congo's president says he'll create a

unity government as violence spreads

Tshisekedi, told a meeting in eastern Congo — have go of enlisting ethnic Hutu
of the Sacred Union of the swept through the region fighters responsible for the
Nation ruling coalition not seizing key cities, killing some 1994 genocide in Rwanda
to be distracted by internal 3,000 people. In a lightning of minority Tutsis and moder-
quarrels. three-week offensive, the ate Hutus.
“I lost the battle and not M23 took control of eastern M23 says it’s fighting to pro-
the war. I must reach out to Congo’s main city Goma tect Tutsis and Congolese
everyone including the op- and seized the second larg- of Rwandan origin from
Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi speaks during a press confer- position. There will be a gov- est city, Bukavu. discrimination and wants
ence at the Elysee Palace in Paris, April 30, 2024. ernment of national unity," The rebels are supported to transform Congo from
Associated Press. said Tshisekedi. He didn’t by about 4,000 troops from a failed state to a modern
By JEAN-YVES KAMALE east and pressure mounts give more details on what neighboring Rwanda, ac- one. Analysts have called
Associated Press over his handling of the crisis. that would entail or when it cording to U.N. experts, those pretexts for Rwanda’s
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — On Saturday, in some of his would happen. and at times have vowed involvement.
Congo's president says he first statements since Rwan- M23 rebels — the most to march as far as Congo’s On Saturday, Tshisekedi paid
is going to launch a unity dan-backed rebels cap- prominent of more than capital, Kinshasa, over 1,000 tribute to soldiers who were
government, as violence tured major cities in east- 100 armed groups vying miles away. killed and vowed to prop up
spreads across the country's ern Congo, President Felix for control and influence Rwanda has accused Con- the army.q

French aircraft carrier stages combat drills with Filipinos in disputed

sea and visits Philippines

By JIM GOMEZ AND JOEAL trols in the South China Sea,
CALUPITAN which Beijing claims almost
Associated Press in its entirety although it has
ABOARD THE CHARLES DE not publicly released exact
GAULLE, Philippines (AP) — coordinates of its claim oth-
France’s nuclear-powered er than 10 dashed lines to
aircraft carrier and accom- demarcate vaguely what
panying warships were in it calls its territory on maps.
the Philippines on Sunday Beijing’s claims overlap with
after holding combat drills those of the Philippines, Viet-
with Filipino forces in the nam, Malaysia, Brunei and
disputed South China Sea Taiwan in long-unresolved
in a show of firepower that territorial standoffs. Indo-
would likely antagonize nesia has also figured in
China. violent confrontations with
The Charles de Gaulle Chinese coast guard and
docked on Friday at Subic fishing fleets in the Natuna
Bay, a former U.S. Naval waters.
base northwest of Manila, French aircraft carrier The Charles de Gaulle docks at Subic Bay port, a former U.S. Naval base Two weeks ago, Australia
for a break after more than northwest of Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. protested after a Chinese
two months of deployment Associated Press J-16 fighter jet released
in the Indo-Pacific. The flight deck. known as Balikatan (Tagalog only nuclear-powered air- flares that passed within
French carrier engaged Fontanel spoke near several for “shoulder-to-shoulder”), craft carrier in the world 30 meters (100 feet) of an
with security allies for con- parked Rafale supersonic involved more than 16,000 other than those of the U.S. Australian P-8 Poseidon sur-
tingency readiness and to fighter jets, an assault heli- military personnel. Navy, led a strike group that veillance jet over the South
promote regional security, copter and a surveillance China strongly criticized included three destroyer China Sea, according to
including with Filipino forces, plane. The flags of France the exercises then, saying warships and an oil replen- Australian Defense Minister
navy ships and fighter jets. and the Philippines fluttered the Philippines was “gang- ishment ship in its first-ever Richard Marles.
They held anti-submarine separately in the wind. ing up” with countries from visit to the Philippines, French The Australian military plane
warfare drills and aerial “Our presence is a constant outside Asia in an obvious officials said. did not sustain any damage
combat training on Friday reminder of the importance reference to the U.S. and France has been shoring and no crewmember was
in the South China Sea, Phil- to promote and to protect its security partners, and up its military engagements injured in the Feb. 11 inci-
ippine and French officials what unites us all — interna- warned the drills could in- with the Philippines and dent. A Chinese Foreign Min-
said. tional law and cooperation," stigate confrontation and other Southeast Asian na- istry spokesperson accused
"We aim to deepen our Fontanel said. undermine regional stability. tions at odds with China in the Australian aircraft of
cooperation with regional Last year, the French navy France’s recent and ongo- the disputed waters, a key “deliberately” intruding into
partners with whom we deployed a frigate for the ing military deployments to global trade and security airspace over the disputed
share common values such first time to participate in a the Philippines underscore route although it says those Paracel Islands, which China
as upholding international joint sail with United States its “commitment to regional emergency-preparedness and Vietnam contest.
law and ensuring freedom and Philippine counterpart security and the shared goal actions were not aimed at In late 2023, French Defense
of navigation in shared forces in and near the dis- of strengthening maritime any particular country. Minister Sébastien Lecornu
maritime spaces,” French puted waters. It was part of cooperation in the Indo- China, however, has bristled and Philippine Defense
Ambassador to Manila the largest annual combat Pacific,” Armed Forces of at any presence of foreign Secretary Gilberto Teodoro
Marie Fontanel said at a exercises in years by Ameri- the Philippines spokesper- forces, especially the U.S. signed an accord to boost
news conference Sunday can and Filipino allied forces son Co. Xerxes Trinidad said. military and its allies, which military cooperation and
on the Charles de Gaulle's in the Philippines. The drills, The Charles de Gaulle, the carry out war drills or pa- joint engagements.q