Thousands Flee Goma as Rebels Claim Control of Key City in Eastern Congo
The capture of Goma by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels raises fears of escalating conflict and potential regional war.
Gunfire echoed through parts of Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, early Monday, hours after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claimed to have taken control of the city. This comes despite the United Nations Security Council's calls for an end to the offensive. The rebels' recent advances have sparked the displacement of thousands of civilians and heightened concerns that a long-standing conflict could spiral into a wider regional war.
"There is confusion in the city; near the airport, we see soldiers, but I have not seen the M23 yet," one resident told Reuters. "There are also reports of looting in stores."
Another resident reported heavy gunfire in the heart of Goma, with additional shooting heard near the airport and the border with Rwanda. While it was unclear who was responsible for the gunfire, one local suggested that they were likely warning shots rather than active fighting.
Earlier on Monday, the rebels had given a deadline for government soldiers to surrender. By midday, 100 Congolese soldiers had turned over their weapons to Uruguayan troops serving in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO), Uruguay's military reported.
MONUSCO staff and their families were evacuated to Rwanda on Monday morning, with 10 buses waiting at the border to transport them.
In response to the rapidly escalating situation, Kenya’s President William Ruto, who chairs the East African Community, announced plans to convene an emergency meeting for regional heads of state.
The borderlands of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo remain a volatile region, plagued by rebel factions and militia groups that have remained active since the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. M23, the latest Tutsi-led rebel group, claims it is defending Congo's ethnic Tutsi population.
The United Nations Security Council held emergency talks on Sunday, addressing the crisis, which has already resulted in one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. U.N. experts have reported that Rwanda has deployed between 3,000 and 4,000 troops and provided significant military support, including missiles and snipers, to assist M23 fighters.
In response to these reports, the United States, France, and Britain condemned Rwanda's involvement in backing the rebels. However, Kigali dismissed these accusations, claiming they did not offer solutions to the situation and blaming the Congolese government for the recent escalation.
"The fighting near the Rwandan border continues to pose a serious threat to Rwanda's security and territorial integrity, and it necessitates Rwanda's ongoing defensive posture," stated Rwanda’s foreign ministry.