Rwanda-DRC tension: Have rebels taken control of Congolese city? What next?
Al Jazeera
M23 fighters have been pressing to capture strategic eastern city for months and intensified offensives in recent days.
The M23 rebel group has declared the key city of Goma under its control, signalling a major blow to the Congolese army and a serious escalation in the years-long conflict that has seen hundreds of people killed and millions displaced in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Goma’s reported capture on Monday came after M23 – which the United Nations says is backed by neighbouring Rwanda – advanced rapidly on Congolese army positions last week. Throughout the day, a barrage of gunfire and explosions rocked the city, which is the capital of North Kivu province and a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.
Hundreds of thousands of residents and previously displaced people fled to neighbouring towns in panic. Social media footage showed huge crowds moving on foot and motorbikes, carrying luggage on their heads and backs.
The crisis, which reignited in 2022, has displaced millions of civilians in the eastern DRC. More than 237,000 people were displaced in January alone, according to a recent report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Here’s what you need to know about M23’s ambitions and the latest fighting:
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