Gunfire Erupts in Congo's Goma Following Rebel Claim of Control Amid Ongoing Crisis
Gunfire echoed across parts of Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, early Monday, hours after the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel alliance claimed to have seized the city. This development comes despite calls from the United Nations Security Council for an immediate halt to the offensive.
The rebel advance has forced thousands to flee Congo’s mineral-rich east, heightening concerns that the long-standing conflict could escalate into a broader regional war.
“There is confusion in the city; near the airport, we see soldiers. I have not seen the M23 yet,” a Goma resident told Reuters, adding that there have been reports of looted stores. Another resident reported heavy shooting in the city centre, as well as near the airport and the Rwandan border.
The source of the gunfire remains unclear, though one resident suggested it could be warning shots rather than direct clashes.
The M23 rebels had reportedly issued a surrender ultimatum to government troops by 3:00 a.m. local time on Monday.
According to Uruguay’s military, 100 Congolese soldiers handed over their weapons to troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO).
MONUSCO staff and their families began evacuating to Rwanda on Monday morning, with buses stationed at the border to facilitate their departure.
Kenyan President William Ruto, who chairs the East African Community bloc, has called for an emergency meeting of regional leaders to address the escalating situation, according to Korir Sing’Oei, Kenya’s principal secretary for foreign affairs.
Congo’s eastern borderlands, a volatile region scarred by decades of rebel activity and militia control, remain a hotspot of instability since two regional wars following Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
The M23, a Tutsi-led rebel group, claims to defend Congo’s ethnic Tutsi population. The group is reportedly well-trained and heavily armed, with UN experts stating that Rwanda has provided substantial military support, including troops, missiles, and snipers.
On Sunday, the UN Security Council held crisis talks about the unfolding humanitarian disaster, which is among the world’s most severe. The United States, France, and Britain have condemned Rwanda’s alleged backing of the M23 offensive.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
