At least 700 people have been killed in intense fighting in Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), since Sunday, according to the United Nations.
Escalating Conflict in Eastern DR Congo
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that 2,800 people have been injured as M23 rebels—backed by Rwanda—captured Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The rebels are now reportedly advancing south toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.
The long-running conflict in eastern DR Congo, which dates back to the 1990s, has escalated significantly in recent weeks. M23, a group composed primarily of ethnic Tutsis, claims to be fighting for minority rights, while DR Congo’s government accuses them of seeking control over the region’s vast mineral resources with Rwandan support.
UN Warns of Rising Death Toll
On Friday, Dujarric cited an assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners, conducted alongside DR Congo’s government between Sunday and Thursday, confirming the casualty figures. He also warned that the death toll would likely increase.
In response, DR Congo’s military has established a defensive line along the road connecting Goma and Bukavu, according to AFP news agency. Hundreds of civilian volunteers have joined the fight to protect Bukavu.
One young volunteer told AFP: “I am ready to die for my country.”
Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, governor of South Kivu, told Reuters that government forces and allies were holding back the rebels, though independent verification of this claim remains unavailable.
M23 Vows to Continue Its Advance
Earlier this week, M23 pledged to push forward toward the national capital, Kinshasa, located approximately 2,600 km (1,600 miles) to the west.
Meanwhile, DR Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner accused Rwanda of illegal occupation and attempting to orchestrate regime change. “The international community has allowed Rwandan President Paul Kagame decades of impunity,” she told the BBC, criticizing the lack of accountability for Rwanda’s alleged violations of international law.
However, Rwanda’s government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo denied these accusations. “We’re not interested in war, annexation, or regime change,” she told the BBC’s Newsday programme, stating that Rwandan troops were only acting to prevent the conflict from spilling into their territory.
Regional and International Reactions
UN experts estimated last year that Rwanda had between 3,000 and 4,000 troops operating alongside M23 in eastern DR Congo.
In response to the crisis, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc declared its support for DR Congo at an emergency summit in Zimbabwe on Friday. The 16-member group reaffirmed its “solidarity and unwavering commitment to supporting the DRC in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
SADC has deployed peacekeeping forces, primarily from South Africa, to combat armed groups like M23. In the past week alone, 16 soldiers from southern African nations have been killed in clashes with M23 around Goma.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
The fighting has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis in eastern DR Congo.
Shelley Thakral of the UN’s World Food Programme warned that Goma’s residents were running out of essential supplies. “The supply chain has really been strangled at the moment,” she told AFP. “Land access, air access—everything is shut down.”
Since the beginning of 2025, more than 400,000 people have been displaced, according to the UN’s refugee agency.
DR Congo, Africa’s second-largest country, borders nine nations and covers an area roughly two-thirds the size of Western Europe. Past conflicts in the 1990s, which involved multiple neighboring countries, were dubbed Africa’s World Wars due to their scale and devastation.
As fighting continues, concerns are growing over the potential for further regional destabilization. The international community remains on high alert as efforts to broker peace gain urgency.
