Clashes between government forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have shaken Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo.
Residents reported intense gunfire and explosions, shattering the pre-dawn calm on Saturday.
Both sides have traded accusations regarding the resurgence of violence, the worst since rebels seized the city in January.
The exact death toll remains unverified amidst the chaos.
However, a government statement late Saturday claimed that 52 individuals perished in and around Goma.
One resident recounted witnessing at least five injured and three deceased M23 fighters in the aftermath of the fighting.
The government squarely blamed the M23 for instigating the hostilities.
M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma asserted via X that “calm reigns” in Goma following a “provocation” by Congolese military elements and the pro-government Wazalendo militia.
Countering this, Wazalendo leader Jules Mulumba claimed responsibility for the clashes.
A Congolese army general corroborated this, also pointing the finger at Wazalendo.
Wazalendo issued a statement citing their actions as a response to earlier attacks by Rwandan-backed fighters this week.
The United Nations and Western governments have repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing arms and troops to the Tutsi-led M23.
Rwanda vehemently denies these allegations, stating its military actions are in self-defense against Congo’s army and a Rwandan militia operating within eastern Congo.
Amidst the escalating violence, President Felix Tshisekedi’s government and M23 have dispatched delegations to Doha for potential peace talks mediated by Qatar, aiming to secure a ceasefire.
M23’s rapid advances this year have resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands more.
The rebels currently control a significant portion of Congo’s eastern borderlands, a region rich in valuable minerals