Aug 20 (Reuters) – The AFC/M23 rebel alliance in Democratic Republic of Congo, which has highlighted its ability to tackle the spread of Ebola in territory it controls, has said it will impose new restrictions on people’s movements to and from Ebola-affected government-held zones.
• Shared taxis on the road between Goma and Kirumba will be suspended for one month, starting from Saturday, as will pirogue boats carrying passengers on certain routes on Lake Edward, said the statement, issued late on Wednesday.
• Taxi-buses will still be allowed to operate on the Goma-Kirumba road, subject to health and safety controls, as will trucks used for transporting goods.
• The new measure was introduced after two travellers from the government-held town of Lubero tested positive for Ebola in a village under M23 control, a member of the response team set up by rebel authorities told Reuters.
• The move underscores the complexity of responding to what health officials have described as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record amid continued hostilities between Congo and the Rwanda-backed rebel group.
• The AFC/M23 rebels control large parts of North and South Kivu provinces following their early 2025 advance, during which they captured Goma and Bukavu, eastern Congo’s two largest cities. The United Nations and Western governments say the group is backed by Rwanda, which Kigali denies.
• The rebels have used this year’s Ebola outbreak to demonstrate their administration in eastern Congo, mounting a response largely separate from authorities in Kinshasa.
• They declared territories under their control Ebola-free late in June.
• The number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo has exceeded 5,000, government data showed this week.
(Reporting by Congo newsroom; Writing by Portia Crowe; Editing by Philippa Fletcher)
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