Battle for Goma: M23 rebels break the ceasefire – hundreds dead!

Battle for Goma: M23 rebels break the ceasefire – hundreds dead!

Things are boiling again in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo: the rebel militia M23 has broken the unilateral ceasefire announced a few days ago and launched several attacks in the Nyabibwe region. Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya confirmed that the M23 has encountered strong resistance from Congolese armed forces. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the militant coalition, revealed the tense situation: “They attacked us and we defended ourselves,” he reported. This renewed fighting could herald the M23's offensive towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. At the end of January, the rebels had already captured the strategically important city of Goma, which led to a massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of people who had to fear for their lives.

Massive violence and humanitarian crisis

The recent clashes have had devastating consequences: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 900 people have been killed and an estimated 3,000 wounded in just a few days. The citizens of Goma continue to struggle with the consequences of the violence - bodies litter the streets, while local hospitals are overflowing with the injured in urgent need of help. The situation is getting worse as the M23 militia say has unilaterally declared a ceasefire “for humanitarian reasons” but is prepared to defend its positions. There is great skepticism about the M23's actual intention; Minister Muyaya described the ceasefire as a “trick” to gain a better position.

The international community is concerned about the conflict, especially since Rwanda is suspected of supporting the M23 in its aggressive advances. The Congolese government accuses its neighbor of being interested in raw materials in the east of the country, while Rwanda says it is fighting threats to its own security. It remains uncertain whether the supposed ceasefire will actually hold or whether the M23 will continue to march towards Kavumu airport and thus the incorporation of Bukavu. Given the enormous resources in the region - gold, coltan and other valuable metals - experts emphasize the explosiveness of the situation. This issue highlights the complexity of the conflict, which is alarming NGOs and humanitarian organizations.

How tagesschau.de reported, the danger of a major regional conflict cannot be dismissed. Tensions between the two countries could come up at a summit this week in southern and east African states.