Sake, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Province

Sake is a city in the territory of Masisi in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on the border with South Kivu. It is located on a northern bay of Lake Kivu, about 25 km west- northwest of the provincial capital of Goma, on the edge of a lava field in about 1,500 meters above sea level in a valley of the Albertine grave breach, near the southern end of the Virunga National Park.

Geography

Sake is located on the route nationale 2 ( RN2 ), which leads to east -south-east through the Virunga National Park to nearby Goma with an international airport, leads in the other direction along the national road south -southwest across the border into South Kivu and continue on Kivisee along to Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. In Sake begin starting from the RN2 the route Provinciale 529, which Masisi, the capital of the territory, crosses and in Walikale, the capital of the territory of the same name, ending at the RN 3, and in a poor state (as of August 2011 after state assessment) route provinciale 1030, leading to the RN2 towards Lubero, the capital of the territory Lubero.

The lava comes from the Virunga Volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, which are in a northeasterly direction within a 25 miles radius and some smaller flank volcanoes. Within 8 km away are about the Tshove and Rumoka, volcanoes flank of Nyamuragira. The lava has flowed over parts of the national road towards Goma and Lake Kivu and thus reaches the 1 km ² water surface, directly adjacent to the sake, completely separated from the bay of Lake Kivu. The water surface in turn, connecting the bay with the rest of Lake Kivu, yet only about 160 m wide at its narrowest point.

History

During the refugee crisis in the Great Lakes Region in 1994 was home as a result of the genocide in Rwanda Sake Rwandan refugees. 2002 approximately 20,000 inhabitants fled Goma after Sake due to the eruption of Nyiragongo. Fighting between government forces and fighters, led by Laurent Nkunda exaggerated August, 2006, thousands of residents to flee. As part of an offensive against Nkunda's positions in the government army in Sake on 25 November 2006 and the takeover by Nkunda fled 15000-20000 inhabitants sakes and the environment. This was three days before the Supreme Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo dismissed the appeal against the outcome of the elections for election fraud. Until 27 November, the government army could bring along with UN troops to MONUC Sake back under their control.

On 21 November 2012, the movement took on March 23 (M23 ) control of Sake. On the same day it occurred in the city to fight with government troops, prompting thousands of residents fled towards Goma, which had been already taken on November 20 of the M23. Prior to taking it was to fight the M23 and its military arm, the ARC, with the Mai-Mai Nyatura (see also Mai-Mai ) come. After two resolutions of the UN Security Council and one by the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR ) ultimatum to withdraw up to 20 km behind Goma on November 26, left the M23 the city on Friday, November 30. The following day the city that should be passed actually forces the ICGLR (also see Mai-Mai ) was by fighters of the Mai-Mai Nyatura taken. The same weekend, but also forces the government army arrived in Sake.