The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces a grave escalation in its long-running conflict as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claim to have captured the eastern city of Goma. The rebel advance has forced thousands from their homes and threatens to reignite a broader regional war, as tensions between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda reach a boiling point.
M23 Rebels Enter Goma Amid Clashes
On Monday morning, M23 rebels entered Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, following a lightning offensive that caught Congolese forces off guard. Witnesses reported seeing rebel fighters in the city center, with gunfire heard near the airport, central districts, and along the Rwandan border.
M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka claimed the group had successfully “liberated” Goma, urging residents to remain calm as rebels took control. Videos on social media showed crowds in some areas cheering and greeting M23 fighters, though it remained unclear how much of the city the group commanded.
Residents React with Fear and Caution
Goma residents expressed mixed reactions to the rebels’ arrival, with some staying indoors while others ventured out to applaud the heavily armed M23 fighters. However, several locals said the apparently warm welcome masked underlying fears.
“We try to be kind because there is fear. Since they are criminals, we can’t predict their behaviour,” one resident explained. “The only thing we can do is show that we are happy.”
Another local said, “We stay at home waiting to know the real situation because there is a lot of confusion for the moment.”
UN Peacekeepers Evacuate as Fighting Persists
As clashes continued, the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUSCO) began evacuating staff and their families across the border to Rwanda. Buses waited to transport UN personnel to safety as the security situation deteriorated.
UN Special Representative Bintou Keita told the Security Council that despite peacekeepers’ support, M23 and Rwandan forces had entered Goma’s outskirts, “causing mass panic” as they advanced using residents as human shields.
DRC Accuses Rwanda of ‘Frontal Aggression’
The DRC government condemned Rwanda’s alleged involvement, with Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner accusing the country of “a frontal aggression, a declaration of war which no longer hides itself behind diplomatic maneuvers” before the UN Security Council.
Rwanda’s UN ambassador neither confirmed nor denied the accusations, instead blaming the DRC government for failing to demonstrate “a genuine commitment to peace.”
Regional Leaders Call for Ceasefire
As the crisis escalated, regional leaders intensified diplomatic efforts to halt the violence. Kenyan President William Ruto, chair of the East African Community (EAC), appealed for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Ruto urged the DRC and Rwandan presidents “to heed the call for peace from the people of our region and the international community,” announcing an extraordinary EAC summit within 48 hours to address the crisis.
Mounting Humanitarian Crisis
The M23 offensive has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, where over a third of North Kivu’s population is displaced. Aid agencies warn that the fall of Goma could overwhelm the region’s fragile support systems.
“Goma is more than a regional capital. It’s the lifeline of humanitarian operations across eastern DRC, and the scale of this renewed crisis threatens to overwhelm its capacity,” cautioned Rose Tchwenko, Mercy Corps’ country director for DRC.
As fighting raged, UN officials reported that several shells had struck a major hospital in Goma, leaving it overwhelmed with injured civilians. Water, electricity, and internet access in the city had been cut, while attacks on aid facilities further impeded relief efforts.
Conflict’s Complex Roots
The current crisis has deep roots in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when Hutu extremists fled into eastern DRC and the region became a patchwork of rival armed groups. M23, the latest in a series of Tutsi-led rebellions, has enjoyed growing Rwandan support since its resurgence in 2021.
The group claims to protect DRC’s ethnic Tutsi population, but its actions have sparked cycles of conflict and displacement. A 2012 M23 offensive briefly captured Goma before international pressure forced the rebels to withdraw.
Uncertain Future
As M23 tightens its grip on Goma, the future of eastern DRC hangs in the balance. Urgent diplomatic intervention is needed to prevent the conflict from escalating into a wider regional conflagration and to alleviate the suffering of those caught in the crossfire.
Much will depend on the international community’s ability to exert pressure on Rwanda to cease its support for M23, and on the DRC government’s capacity to assert control over its restive eastern provinces. For the people of Goma and the surrounding region, the prospect of peace and stability remains a distant hope as they once again find themselves at the mercy of armed groups and regional rivalries.
