Goma: Weeks of renewed fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have culminated in the capture of Goma, a key border city targeted by the M23 rebel group, which is allegedly backed by foreign rivals. The city, home to around 3 million people, is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, near the Rwandan border, and serves as the capital of North Kivu province. It is the largest settlement to fall amidst a series of rebel advances that have overtaken key frontier towns.
According to Anadolu Agency, while the DRC government denies that the rebels have taken full control, M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma stated that fighters are ‘in control of the city.’ Ngoma, speaking over the phone, claimed ‘total control’ of Goma, which acts as a gateway to some of the world’s most mineral-rich areas. Despite the ongoing conflict, Ngoma described the situation in the city as ‘very nice, very good,’ asserting there were no problems.
The Congolese government is backed by UN peacekeepers from the MONUSCO mission and regional troops under the Southern African Development Community Mission in Congo (SAMIDRC), including forces from Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania. Since last week, fighting in the region has resulted in at least 42 deaths, including 17 foreign peacekeepers, with hundreds more injured amid ongoing clashes between the Congolese army and rebel forces. Save the Children reports that over half of Goma’s population are children, and about 1 million are displaced people.
Rwanda claims that at least nine of its citizens were killed in an alleged cross-border exchange of gunfire originating from Goma. UN experts accuse Rwanda and Uganda of supporting M23 by providing sanctuary and enabling Rwandan troops to join the fighting in eastern Congo. Both nations deny these allegations, arguing that armed groups targeting their territories have used the DRC as a sanctuary.
Goma’s strategic location as a commercial hub has embedded it in local power struggles during Congo’s wars. Its proximity to mineral-rich areas draws settlers, traders, and criminals, making control over Goma influential in shaping political power and trade networks in the region. Much of the conflict is driven by the region’s mineral riches, including coltan, cobalt, tantalum, and lithium, essential to modern technology. Ethnic tensions also play a role, with Goma being home to several ethnic groups, including Tutsi, Hutu, Hunde, Kano, Nande, and Nyanga. These tensions often stem from economic rivalries and competition over control of land and mining areas.
The M23 movement emerged from the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), a rebel group advocating for the Tutsi minority’s rights in eastern Congo. After a peace deal in 2009 that integrated its fighters into the national army, a faction broke away in 2012, forming the March 23 Movement (M23), accusing the government of failing to uphold the agreement. The conflicts in eastern Congo are tied to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, influencing the region’s dynamics and violence.
Eastern Congo’s vast mineral wealth attracts over 100 armed groups vying for control. Analysts suggest foreign powers are involved to maintain influence and profit from mineral extraction. Rwanda faces accusations of facilitating illegal mineral trafficking, contributing to ongoing conflict, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. The Congolese army frequently protects mining sites, with significant mineral reserves in the region, including tantalum, tin, tungsten, and copper.
The ongoing conflict severely impacts civilians, with over 26 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. In Goma, hospitals are overwhelmed, and electricity, water, and internet supplies have been disrupted. The World Food Program warns of food shortages as rising prices and blocked access roads worsen the crisis. The UN deputy special representative to MONUSCO reports nearly 3 million displaced in North Kivu province to date, with Goma hosting more than 600,000 internally displaced persons.