"UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bruno Lemarquis, met with leaders of the AFC-M23 movement on Tuesday, urging respect for humanitarian law and greater access to aid as violence escalates in the country’s east. "We discussed the situation of highly vulnerable people in eastern DRC, how humanitarian actors are working with the authorities here in Goma, the de facto authorities, on a number of issues," said Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative of Secretary-General. Speaking after the meeting, Lemarquis stressed the urgent need to ensure humanitarian organisations could reach vulnerable populations. "We also reiterated the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and the humanitarian space so that the numerous Congolese and international humanitarian organisations working here in Goma and the surrounding territories can access the many people affected," he added. The visit comes amid heightened tensions following a recent drone strike in Goma that claimed the lives of three, including a French UNICEF staffer. The Congolese government and the AFC-M23 group have traded blame for the attack. "We're all shocked by this incident, and we have officially condemned it. We have called for a credible and, we hope, swift independent investigation to determine the circumstances of this incident," Lemarquis noted. Clashes have continued in eastern DRC despite a ceasefire brokered by the United States and an accompanying economic agreement. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel movement, an allegation Kigali denies. On March 2, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Defence Force and four senior commanders, accusing them of violating the Washington Accords by continuing to support M23 operations, including the capture of the eastern Congolese city of Uvira in December."