Africa

Goma under threat of violence as M23 rebels stage fresh attacks

People gather at a busy road while carrying some of their belongings as they flee the Masisi territory following clashes between M23 rebels and government forces, at a road near Sake, the DRC, on February 7, 2024. (Photo: Aubin Mukoni/ AFP)

By Mary Wambui | Thursday, February 8, 2024

The fighting between the local army and the M23 has displaced at least 130,000 people in different areas of the Masisi territory in the last two weeks.

The city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is again at risk of violence following increased clashes in the neighbouring Masisi, Sake and Rutshuru territories.

Congo's army, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), said on Wednesday that a second M23 bomb hit a village about 15 km from the centre of Goma, between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. It added in a statement that its forces were fighting back attacks by the rebels around the nearby town of Sake.

Keep reading

On Tuesday, a rocket landed near a university in Goma as thousands fled towards the area following a fresh advance by the M23 rebels, which now threatens to isolate the city.

Responding to claims of advancing towards the city, M23 said it has no such intentions but added that artillery and air attacks targeting its forces and the indiscriminate shelling of civilian populations would be dealt with at source.

"The M23 remains committed to a peaceful solution and is prepared to withdraw from forward positions if a monitored ceasefire and a credible verification mechanism are in place. The M23 reiterates that it is seeking a solution through a political dialogue, and calls on regional and international leaders to support this effort," the statement added.

According to the UN Secretary General's Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, the fighting between the local army and the M23 has displaced at least 130,000 people in different areas of the Masisi territory in the last two weeks.

Dujarric added that the clashes have impacted the road between Sake and Bweremana, a key route connecting the North and South Kivu provinces.

"This risks isolating Goma, a city of two million people, which also hosts more than half a million displaced people. It could jeopardise food security and economic activities in Goma and the area," he said in a briefing on Tuesday.

Congo's government this week promised that it would not let Goma, which is situated on Lake Kivu close to the border with Rwanda, fall into the M23's hands, as it did briefly in 2012. However, the rebel group made major advances last month, bringing the conflict closer to Goma.

Natalia Torrent, head of a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team in Mweso, about 100 km north of Goma, said clashes broke out two weeks ago as the army and pro-government militia tried to reclaim the town. Fighting picked up again over the weekend, wounding around 30 people, she said on Wednesday.

The MSF evacuated some of its staff after bullets struck a hospital in which thousands of Mweso residents were sheltering. Most have since deserted the town.