The armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 group engaged in combat on Friday near Goma, prompting the United Kingdom, United States, and France to advise their citizens to evacuate the primary city in the unstable eastern region of the DRC, cautioning that the situation may rapidly worsen.
Following the collapse of peace negotiations, M23 militants, supported by Rwandan forces, have captured significant areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in recent weeks, leading to a humanitarian crisis and encircling the provincial capital, which houses approximately one million residents.
The United States, Britain, and France urged their nationals to depart from Goma while transportation options remain available, disseminating this information through online statements and direct communications via email or SMS.
The United Nations has reported that the ongoing conflict in North Kivu province has resulted in the displacement of over 400,000 individuals this year, raising concerns about the potential for a regional conflict.
Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), stated during a news briefing in Geneva on Friday that the number of displaced persons has nearly doubled since the previous week.
Saltmarsh expressed the UNHCR’s deep concern regarding the safety and security of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the eastern region.
He noted that intense bombardments have forced families from at least nine displacement sites on the outskirts of Goma to seek refuge within the city, where many are currently without adequate shelter.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed alarm over the resurgence of hostilities, as conveyed by his spokesperson in a statement.
The statement emphasized that this offensive is inflicting severe consequences on the civilian population and increasing the likelihood of a wider regional conflict, calling for an immediate cessation of violence.
Fighting broke out early Friday, just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Goma.
A security source, speaking to AFP on the condition of anonymity, reported, “We are engaged in a fierce exchange of fire with the enemy along the Kanyamahoro-Kibumba route.”
On Friday, a military source indicated that the M23 group was also active in the town of Sake, which is located approximately 20 kilometers west of Goma, where significant combat occurred the previous day.
Congolese army helicopters were dispatched to Sake on Friday morning, and explosions were reported in the western parts of the town, although the intensity of the fighting remained unclear.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi is scheduled to convene a defense council meeting later today, following a crisis meeting held on Thursday.
According to military and UN sources, General Peter Cirimwami, the military governor of North Kivu, passed away on Friday morning after being shot near the frontline on Thursday.
Civilians have been fleeing on foot as the Congolese army deployed helicopter gunships on Thursday, which launched rockets at the frontline in an effort to stop the M23 fighters from advancing towards Goma.
At least a dozen armored personnel carriers from the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) were observed moving westward from Goma.
Armored vehicles from the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC, which is assisting the Congolese army, were also seen transporting weaponry towards Sake.
Medical teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross provided treatment to over 70 injured individuals at the hospital in Goma on Thursday.
Since Thursday, civilians have been fleeing the conflict, making their way on foot to the center of Goma.
Goma remains at the center of the violence that has plagued eastern DRC for the past 30 years.
The M23 – March 23 Movement – briefly seized control of the city at the close of 2012.
However, the Congolese military, aided by the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and international diplomatic pressure on Rwanda, swiftly regained control of the city.
Efforts to diplomatically resolve the ongoing crisis have thus far been unsuccessful.
In December, a scheduled meeting between President Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, part of a peace initiative led by Angola, was called off due to a lack of consensus.
Turkey, which has been actively engaged in African affairs, proposed on Thursday to facilitate mediation between the DRC and Rwanda.
Numerous ceasefires and truces have been declared in the region, only to be violated, with the most recent ceasefire agreement established at the end of July.
