Stephane Dujarric told correspondents at a regular news conference in New York that during the clashes, two rockets landed near the United Nations peacekeeping base in Kimoka, about 4 kilometers northwest of Salkeh in North Kivu province.
The UN said no casualties were reported.
UN Mission MONUSCO “remains deeply concerned by the hostilities in eastern Congo and once again calls on the M23 to cease its attacks and respect the Luanda roadmap,” it added, setting out the necessary steps to strengthen it. He referred to the 2022 agreement. Lasting peace in eastern DRC.
Signatories are Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.
Mr. Dujarric said MONUSCO peacekeepers continued protection operations in North Kivu, including securing defensive positions to keep civilians safe in Salmon and the provincial capital, Goma.
“This despite being under attack and being regularly targeted,” he added.
Fighting broke out near Salake earlier this month, forcing nearly 144,000 people to flee their homes, most heading to Goma.
Harassment of Russian anti-war activists
A top rights expert on Monday condemned Russia's judiciary's continued efforts to silence anti-war dissident Orleg Orlov.
Prosecutors reportedly asked Orlov to serve two years and 11 months in prison after he “repeatedly denied” credibility with the Russian military involved in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Mariana Katsalova, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Russia, said the charges against him had no basis under international law.
Ms Katsarova, an independent human rights expert who reports to the Human Rights Council, also said the incident ignored Russia's obligations to create a safe environment for activists.
Mr. Orlov is co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Human Rights Center Memorial. Last October, a Moscow court fined him about $1,600 for several protests against Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
UNAIDS expresses concern over 'discriminatory' court ruling
Head to the Caribbean island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on Monday expressed deep concern following a recent High Court ruling upholding discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ community.
The agency is particularly concerned that courts have cited public health protections and efforts to combat the HIV epidemic to justify upholding punitive measures against LGBTQ populations.
UNAIDS stressed that evidence shows that such laws are contrary to sound public health policy and effective response to the HIV crisis.
This highlights the negative effects of a punitive legal environment, particularly the criminalization of same-sex relationships, driving individuals underground and away from vital health services such as HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care.
UNAIDS states: “Achieving the goal of eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 requires everyone to have equal access to the services they need, free from fear, stigma and discrimination.'' That is extremely important.”
On February 16, the High Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Vincentians living abroad.
The petition challenged Articles 146 and 148 of the Penal Code, which criminalize “theft” between two people and carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
The court ruled that these provisions do not violate the fundamental rights to privacy, personal liberty, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, and protection from discrimination.
All claims were dismissed and the Attorney General imposed prescribed costs of $7,500 on each claimant.