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| DR Congo claims defeat of M23 rebels | DR Congo claims defeat of M23 rebels |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed victory over M23 rebels in the east of the country. | |
| A government spokesman said the last remaining rebels had either fled across the border or surrendered and their weapons had been destroyed overnight. | |
| The M23 have not publicly commented on the claim. Kinshasa earlier rejected rebel calls for a truce. | |
| At least 800,000 people have fled their homes since the conflict began in 2012. | |
| Last week, the UN special envoy to DR Congo, Martin Kobler, said the group was all but finished as a military threat in DR Congo. | |
| Key base seized | |
| On Tuesday, government spokesman Lambert Mende told the BBC that Congolese special forces had defeated the rebels. | |
| He said that UN tanks and helicopters had been supporting the Congolese army since Monday. | |
| Mr Mende added that rebel military leader Sultani Makenga was among those who crossed the border either to Rwanda or Uganda. | |
| Government forces had earlier captured Bunagana, the main base of the M23 on the DR Congo-Uganda border. | |
| The army has recently had a string of victories, driving the rebels from all towns they once controlled during a 20-month rebellion. | |
| Peace talks in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, broke down last month following two months of negotiations. | |
| On Sunday, M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa called for a ceasefire to "allow the continuation of the political process". | |
| He urged rebel commanders to "ensure the strict observance of this order". | |
| But Kinshasa rejected the call. | |
| Separately, African leaders holding talks on the crisis told the M23 that they must publicly declare an end to their insurgency. | |
| A statement released after the summit in South Africa said if they did so a peace agreement could be signed in five days' time. |