The Congolese city of Goma endured heavy artillery fire on Monday as France issued a warning that the regional capital was on the brink of being overtaken by M23 militia fighters and Rwandan troops.
The armed M23 group, alongside Rwandan soldiers, reportedly entered Goma on Sunday night following weeks of advances into North Kivu, a mineral-rich province in eastern DR Congo.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed solidarity with the Congolese people, urging an immediate halt to the Rwanda-backed offensive, stating, “Goma is on the verge of falling.”
"Intense Fighting and Rising Tensions"
UN and security sources reported that M23 fighters, supported by 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers, had besieged Goma for days. Explosions and gunfire shook the city Monday morning as Congolese armed forces appeared overwhelmed by the onslaught.
Amid the chaos, a mass prison break occurred after a facility was set ablaze, resulting in casualties. Meanwhile, the border between Rwanda and DR Congo near Goma was closed, and plans to evacuate UN staff and their families over the border were reported by Rwandan state media.
"Diplomatic Efforts and Regional Tensions"
Kenya announced plans for a summit within two days, involving Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, to address the escalating crisis.
At a UN Security Council emergency meeting on Sunday, DR Congo called for sanctions against Rwanda for backing M23, with Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner labeling the situation a "declaration of war." While the UN urged the withdrawal of “external forces,” it stopped short of directly naming Rwanda.
UN sources revealed that between 500 and 1,000 Rwandan soldiers joined M23 near Goma over the weekend. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Rwanda to pull its forces from the region, a demand Rwanda has rejected, citing threats to its security and territorial integrity.
"Strategic Importance of Goma"
Goma, a city of over a million residents and nearly as many displaced people, holds significant strategic and economic importance. It briefly fell to M23 in 2012 before the group was defeated in 2013. However, M23 re-emerged in recent years, with multiple ceasefires and truces repeatedly violated.
A UN experts’ report accused Rwanda of using M23 to exploit DR Congo’s mineral wealth, with Congolese officials urging a total embargo on minerals falsely labeled as Rwandan.
As the situation worsens, major powers, including the United States, France, the UK, and Germany, have advised their citizens to evacuate Goma, underscoring the gravity of the crisis.
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