The M23 rebel group has seized Minova, a strategic town on a critical supply route leading to Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, according to both a rebel leader and the provincial governor.
The Tutsi-led M23 group has been engaged in a renewed insurgency in eastern Congo since 2022. Both the Congolese government and the United Nations accuse neighboring Rwanda of providing military support to the rebels—allegations Rwanda has repeatedly denied.
“Minova is in our hands,” declared Corneille Nangaa, leader of the anti-government Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes M23.
The fall of Minova, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Goma, raises fears that the provincial capital could become the rebels’ next target. The capture was confirmed by North Kivu’s governor, Jean-Jacques Purusi.
Local residents reported that the rebels entered the town around 5:30 a.m., with heavy weapons fire heard as far away as Goma. The escalating violence prompted an international school in Goma to cancel classes, citing disruptions caused by the noise.
Congo’s army reportedly withdrew after fierce fighting, according to James Musanganya, a local civil society leader. He added that the rebels were attempting to reassure residents and discourage them from fleeing, although many had already begun seeking safety in more secure areas.
The government is closely monitoring the situation, said Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that approximately 15 humanitarian organizations in Minova had halted operations due to security concerns. The town currently shelters around 484,000 displaced people, including 178,000 who arrived in just the last two weeks.
“If aid workers are forced to leave, these displaced people will lose access to vital assistance,” warned a coordinator from an international NGO.