Gunshots echoed through the streets of Goma on Sunday night as tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda escalated. Explosions reverberated across the North Kivu provincial capital, where Congolese troops are battling fighters from the Rwanda-backed M23 Movement near the city’s outskirts.
DR Congo has accused Rwanda of sending fresh troops across the border to support the M23’s advance, with Kinshasa labelling it a “declaration of war.” Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner addressed an emergency UN Security Council meeting, claiming between 500 and 1,000 Rwandan soldiers crossed into DR Congo on Sunday to bolster the M23. Kayikwamba urged the UN to impose sanctions on Rwandan officials, including asset freezes and travel bans, and called for an embargo on minerals exported as Rwandan goods, especially gold.
The UN has condemned Rwanda’s involvement, with Secretary-General António Guterres demanding Kigali cease its support for the M23 and withdraw its forces. However, Rwanda’s UN ambassador, Ernest Rwamucyo, denied the allegations, accusing Kinshasa of failing to commit to peace and claiming UN peacekeepers were aligned with forces seeking regime change in Rwanda.
The ongoing conflict has already displaced thousands, with new columns of people fleeing to Goma as fighting intensifies. Heavy detonations were reported throughout Sunday, and most businesses in the city remained closed. Meanwhile, reports emerged of a Rwandan drone strike on Congolese positions north of Goma, further heightening tensions.
The violence has drawn widespread condemnation, with the African Union and the United States calling for an immediate ceasefire. Despite numerous ceasefire agreements over the years, peace has remained elusive in the region.
The violence has also taken a toll on peacekeeping forces, with 13 soldiers from the UN and regional missions killed in recent clashes. Among the dead were nine South Africans, three Malawians, and one Uruguayan. In response to the escalating crisis, the UN has begun evacuating non-essential staff from Goma to Uganda and the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.
Goma, a city with over a million residents and a hub for displaced people, briefly fell under M23 control in 2012. While the group was initially defeated in 2013, it has re-emerged in recent years, prompting repeated but unsuccessful efforts to establish lasting peace in eastern DR Congo.
