War in Congo escalates as rebels aim for the capital after seizing major city

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Rwanda-backed M23 rebels announced, on Thursday, plans to advance toward the capital after capturing Goma, a key city in North Kivu province.

The rebels claimed to have taken Goma on Monday, after bloody fighting and widespread panic, according to The Associated Press. The announcement came minutes before the end of a 48-hour deadline for the surrender of the armed forces inside the major city.

President Félix Tshisekedi called for massive military mobilization and vowed to push back the rebels with a “vigorous and coordinated response”. Meanwhile Congo’s defense ministry announced it had ceased all forms of dialogue with the rebels.

The rebels, in turn, announced they were open to dialogue with the government, but maintained their goal of overthrowing it. “We want to go to Kinshasa, take power and lead the country,” said Corneille Nangaa, one of M23’s political leaders.

Violence has escalated in the region in the past month, with fighting reaching Goma’s outskirts in recent days. About one-third of North Kivu’s population has been displaced, according to the AP. Fighting in the outskirts of the city left 13 United Nations Peacekeepers dead, the AP reported.

Congo’s government has cut ties with neighboring Rwanda, which denies backing rebels, despite evidence from U.N. experts who report that some 4,000 Rwandan troops are involved, The Associated Press reported.

“This is something that is going to exacerbate a dangerous cycle of violence as desperate times call for desperate measures”

Cynthia Jones, U.N. World Food Program emergency coordinator in Eastern Congo

“Mass panic” settled in Goma after M23 and Rwandan forces entered the outskirts, U.N. special representative Bintou Keita said. On Thursday, the city was largely without water and electricity, according to The Associated Press. The AP also reported that bodies of alleged government soldiers lay in the streets, terrifying civilians, “including children.”

Goma has served as a vital humanitarian hub for the more than 6 million displaced by the conflict. Bruno Lemarquis, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Congo says that aid is now inhibited, as basic services are largely paralyzed.

Looting has been reported on the streets of Goma as conflict worsens. “This is something that is going to exacerbate a dangerous cycle of violence as desperate times call for desperate measures,” said U.N. World Food Program emergency coordinator in eastern Congo, Cyntia Jones.

The situation of conflict and widespread unrest underscores the government’s and army’s ability to coordinate and protect citizens. As violence continues, the people of Congo are now faced with a hard choice – retreat into Congo’s interior and seek protection from a weakened government; or cross the border to Rwanda, to take refuge in the country currently backing those who attack you.

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Background on the Conflict

The conflict in Congo has been among the longest and bloodiest in African history. As of March 2024, it displaced 7.2 million internally, according to U.N. reports, and killed at least 6 million over the past three decades, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

Its origins link back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide that forced the exile of Hutu refugees into northern Congo. Among them were some extremists who began to organize militias. After many years, grievances between Tutsi and Hutu factions led to the creation of the March 23 Movement (M23), which launched a major offensive in 2012. After being put down, the group resurfaced in 2022, once again destabilizing the region.

“Though the eastern regions of DRC are the most violent, political violence exacerbated by the December 2023 elections has contributed to a national state of political disorder and insecurity,” the CFR reported.

Congo is also home to an abundance of natural resources, especially precious minerals, which the CFR says has globalized the conflict, involving players like the United States and China.