M23 rebels issue warning to UN and SADC forces as panic grips Goma, DRC

The M23 rebel group has issued a stern warning to the United Nations (UN) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces, accusing them of involvement in the ongoing conflict. This comes as panic spreads across Goma, a city of 2 million people, with the rebels advancing closer to its outskirts.

In a statement released by the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23), the group condemned what it described as military collaboration between MONUSCO (the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC) and Congolese forces, alongside other armed groups.

“The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) notices that its appeal to SAMIDRC and MONUSCO to refrain from intervening in the war imposed upon us by the forces of the coalition of the Kinshasa regime has not been respected,” the statement read.

“Any involvement, collaboration, or direct or indirect support in the ongoing conflict by these two forces will compel our organisation to exercise its full right to legitimate self-defence.”

The group further accused MONUSCO of collaborating with "genocidal groups" and launching attacks on densely populated areas and M23 positions.

“This unnatural alliance not only violates international conventions but also involves attacks on densely populated areas, endangering countless civilians,” the statement continued. Despite these allegations, the rebels asserted their commitment to restoring peace and security to the region.

“We urge the Congolese population to remain calm and prepare to welcome AFC/M23, which is resolutely committed to bringing peace and stability to the region.”

The situation in Goma has become increasingly dire, with residents reporting growing fears of a rebel takeover. M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka echoed these sentiments, stating on social media, “The people of Goma have suffered greatly, like other Congolese. M23 is on its way to liberate them, and they must prepare to welcome this liberation.”

As M23 advances, capturing towns such as Minova, Katale, and Masisi in recent weeks, Congolese helicopter gunships have launched airstrikes while ground troops move to halt the rebel progression.

However, the conflict’s toll on civilians is devastating, with over 400,000 people displaced in North Kivu and an additional 178,000 people displaced in South Kivu this year alone, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). South and North Kivu Provinces are already home to 4.6 million internally displaced people.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed alarm over the escalating violence, condemning M23’s renewed offensive. “This offensive has a devastating toll on the civilian population and heightened the risk of a broader regional war,” Guterres said in a statement, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The ongoing conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo has persisted for decades, involving around 100 armed groups vying for control.

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