DRC offers $5m reward for capture of rebel leaders

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Government has offered a reward of $5m for help arresting three leaders of a rebel group which has seized much of the east of the country this year, reports BBC News. Corneille Nangaa, a former head of DRC’s electoral commission, now leads the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebel group. He has addressed large rallies in the cities under the group's control. The bounty is also on offer for M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa. Last year, the three men were prosecuted in absentia by a military court and given death sentences for treason. A reward of $4m (£3) was also offered for the arrest of two journalists living in exile, and others the government describes as accomplices. But the chances of anyone being arrested appear slim. In recent weeks the army has been no match for the Rwandan-backed rebels who have captured large parts of the mineral-rich eastern DRCo, including the region's two largest cities; Goma and Bukavu. So President Félix Tshisekedi has instead focused on trying to build international pressure for Rwanda to face sanctions for backing the rebels. Last year, a report by UN experts said up to 4 000 Rwanda troops were working with the M23 in the DRC. Thousands of people have been killed during the fighting and hundreds of thousands left without shelter after fleeing their homes. The Congolese Government is also seeking US support in exchange for access to its minerals. DRC accuses Rwanda of trying to take control of its minerals, which include gold and coltan, used in consumers electronics such as mobile phones and computers.

Full BBC News report