M23 Rebels Capture Goma as Congo Conflict Escalates

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — At least 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured in intense fighting in Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, since Sunday, according to the United Nations. The M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have captured the capital of North Kivu province and are now advancing south toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.

The conflict, which dates back to the 1990s, has rapidly escalated in recent weeks. M23, a Tutsi-led rebel group, claims to be fighting for minority rights, while the Congolese government accuses Rwanda of supporting the rebels to gain control of the region’s vast mineral wealth. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed the casualty figures, warning that the death toll is expected to rise further.

In response to the rebel advance, the Congolese military has established a defensive line between Goma and Bukavu. Hundreds of civilian volunteers have joined the effort to defend Bukavu. “I am ready to die for my country,” one young man told AFP.

Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, the governor of South Kivu, claimed that government forces and their allies are holding back the rebels, though this has not been independently verified. M23 has vowed to continue its offensive toward Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, located approximately 2,600 kilometers (1,600 miles) to the west.

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, Congo’s foreign minister, accused Rwanda of illegally occupying Congolese territory and attempting to orchestrate regime change. “The international community has allowed Rwandan President Paul Kagame decades of impunity,” Wagner told the BBC. Rwanda’s government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo denied the allegations, stating that Rwandan troops are deployed solely to prevent the conflict from spilling over into Rwanda.

UN experts estimate that Rwanda has between 3,000 and 4,000 troops operating alongside M23 in eastern Congo. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has pledged support for Congo, sending peacekeeping troops primarily from South Africa to combat armed groups like M23. Sixteen SADC soldiers have been killed in clashes with the rebels around Goma in the past week.

The fighting has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo. Shelley Thakral of the UN’s World Food Programme reported that Goma’s residents are running out of food, clean water, and medical supplies. “The supply chain has really been strangled,” she told AFP. Since the start of 2025, more than 400,000 people have been displaced, according to the UN’s refugee agency.

DR Congo, Africa’s second-largest country, borders nine nations and has been plagued by decades of conflict. The current crisis threatens to escalate into a broader regional conflict, reminiscent of the 1990s Congo Wars, which drew in multiple neighboring countries and were among the deadliest conflicts in history.