The U.S. has expressed deep concern over the fall of Goma to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, who now appear to have solidified their control over the eastern Congolese city of nearly two million people.
Gunfire echoed sporadically through Goma’s outskirts on Wednesday, two days after M23 fighters stormed the city. The takeover has left bodies in the streets, hospitals struggling to cope, and U.N. peacekeepers confined to their bases.
On Tuesday, the rebels seized Goma’s international airport, potentially cutting off a crucial supply route for aid organizations trying to assist the hundreds of thousands displaced by decades of conflict in eastern DRC.
Washington called on the U.N. Security Council to consider urgent measures to halt the offensive, while the African Union demanded an immediate withdrawal of M23 forces from occupied areas.
Rwanda Stands Firm Amid Calls for Ceasefire
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, in a post on X, acknowledged discussing the crisis with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and agreeing on the need for a ceasefire. However, he did not indicate any willingness to withdraw from Goma.
Rubio conveyed Washington’s alarm over the crisis, describing it as the worst escalation in over a decade, and urged respect for DRC’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, in Goma’s northern Majengo neighborhood, local militias known as Wazalendo—aligned with the Congolese government—were reportedly active, with residents hearing intermittent gunfire.
Regional and International Response
The East African Community (EAC), which includes both DRC and Rwanda, is set to hold an emergency summit on Wednesday evening. A Rwandan government source confirmed Kagame’s participation, but Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi is not expected to attend, according to sources within the presidency and regional diplomats.
Instead, Tshisekedi will address the nation later in the day, his first public remarks since the rebels seized Goma.
M23, a Tutsi-led insurgent group backed by Rwanda, is the latest in a series of armed movements to emerge in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which saw Hutu extremists massacre Tutsis and moderate Hutus before being overthrown by Kagame’s forces.
Rwanda claims remnants of the genocidal forces remain in Congo and pose a security threat to both Rwanda and Congolese Tutsis. Kinshasa, however, accuses Kigali of exploiting the conflict to plunder valuable minerals like coltan, essential for smartphone production.
Cross-Border Clashes, Reports of Looting and Abuse
On Monday, the Congolese and Rwandan armies exchanged fire across their shared border, with Rwanda reporting at least nine deaths.
Videos circulating online appear to show hundreds of Congolese soldiers and militia fighters surrendering at a Goma stadium, as M23 oversees a so-called disarmament process.
Bertrand Bisimwa, head of M23’s political wing, claimed on X that the rebels had secured “total security” in the city.
A Goma resident described the situation as surreal:
“It feels like we are in two countries at once—Congo and Rwanda,” the resident told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to safety concerns.
While Kinshasa and U.N. officials insist that Rwandan troops are actively involved in the fighting, Kigali has neither confirmed nor denied sending forces across the border. Instead, Rwanda maintains it is acting in self-defense against Congolese militias.
M23 previously captured Goma in 2012 but withdrew after a few days under international pressure, including threats to cut aid to Rwanda. Analysts say such pressure is unlikely this time, as global powers remain reluctant to directly confront Kigali, which has positioned itself as a key Western ally in the region.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
In Kinshasa, anti-Rwanda sentiment is boiling over. On Tuesday, demonstrators stormed a U.N. compound and attacked several embassies, including those of Rwanda, France, and the U.S., accusing foreign powers of meddling in Congo’s affairs.
Medical workers in Goma say at least 760 wounded people have flooded the city’s four main hospitals. However, with bodies lying in the streets and many dying before reaching medical care, the true death toll remains unknown.
There are also disturbing reports of sexual violence. The U.N. humanitarian office says it has received information about rapes committed by armed fighters.
One overwhelmed hospital manager described the dire situation:
“We had to drain fuel from ambulances to keep the generators running—people on ventilators depend on it. Many of the injuries are catastrophic, and some patients don’t even make it inside before succumbing.”
As international diplomats weigh their response, Goma’s residents remain trapped in a city now under the shadow of M23’s rule.