In brief
The violence in Goma has resulted in at least 700 deaths and thousands injured, with M23 rebels advancing towards Bukavu amidst escalating tensions exacerbated by regional dynamics and humanitarian crises.
The UN has reported at least 700 fatalities due to intense fighting in Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, since Sunday. According to UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, the conflict has also resulted in approximately 2,800 injuries, as M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, have overtaken the capital of North Kivu province. These rebels are reportedly now moving towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. The violence, which can be traced back to conflicts in the 1990s, has intensified in recent weeks, with M23 claiming to fight for minority rights while the DR Congo government accuses them of seeking control over the region's mineral wealth. Dujarric indicated that these casualty figures are derived from assessments by the World Health Organization and other partners. He cautioned that the death toll may continue to increase.To counter the M23's advancements, the DR Congo military has established a defensive position between Goma and Bukavu. Hundreds of local volunteers have joined the effort to defend Bukavu, with one citizen expressing a willingness to sacrifice for his country. Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, governor of South Kivu, reported that government forces, along with their allies, are pushing back against the rebels, though this information remains unverified by independent sources.M23 has stated its intention to continue the offensive towards Kinshasa, the national capital. DR Congo's Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner accused Rwanda of illegal occupation and regime change plots, claiming that the international community has allowed impunity for Rwandan President Paul Kagame. In response, Rwanda's government denied such allegations, asserting its focus on preventing conflict spillover into its borders.In a recent summit in Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) pledged support for DR Congo, reaffirming solidarity and commitment to its territorial integrity. Peacekeeping troops, primarily from South Africa, have been deployed to assist in restoring stability in the resource-rich region, where violence has led to the deaths of sixteen soldiers from southern African nations in the past week.The fighting has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in eastern DR Congo. UN World Food Programme representative Shelley Thakral reported alarming shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies in Goma, attributing the crisis to disrupted supply chains. Since the beginning of 2025, over 400,000 people have been displaced due to the conflict, raising urgent humanitarian needs in the region. DR Congo, Africa's second-largest country, shares borders with nine nations and has a history of conflicts involving regional actors, sometimes referred to as "Africa's World Wars." The current escalation has raised significant concerns about stability and humanitarian conditions in the area.
