M23 Rebels Capture Goma, Congo-Rwanda Conflict Escalates
M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, seize control of Goma, cutting off humanitarian aid and escalating tensions with DR Congo, as the UN, US, and African Union call for urgent intervention.

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M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, have taken control of Goma, a key city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The situation has raised concerns as 80 Indian military personnel from the United Nations peacekeeping force are stationed in the city, including at a Level-3 field hospital, which has now been surrounded by the rebels. Reports indicate gunfire and RPG attacks inside the camp.
The U.S. has expressed deep concern over the crisis, urging Rwanda to respect Congo’s sovereignty. In just two days of fighting, M23 rebels have gained control over a city of two million people. Gunfire continues in the outskirts, and streets remain littered with bodies. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and UN peacekeepers have retreated to their bases.
On Tuesday, rebels captured Goma’s international airport, cutting off a vital supply route for humanitarian aid in eastern DRC. The long-running conflict in Congo has worsened, prompting the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to consider “unspecified measures” to curb the escalation. The African Union (AU) has also called for an immediate withdrawal of M23 forces.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, in a post on X, confirmed a discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where both agreed on the need for a ceasefire. However, Rwanda has given no indication of withdrawing support for M23. The U.S. State Department has labeled the situation as the worst surge in violence in over a decade and urged Rwanda to respect territorial integrity.
The East African Community (EAC), which includes both Congo and Rwanda, has scheduled an emergency summit to discuss the crisis. While Kagame is expected to attend, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi is likely to be absent. Instead, he is set to address the nation on Wednesday—his first public statement since the fall of Goma.
M23 rebels are led by members of the Tutsi ethnic group and have been backed by Rwanda for years. The group emerged in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, during which Hutu extremists killed Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Kagame’s Tutsi-led forces later pushed the Hutu militants into Congo, where instability has persisted.
Rwanda claims that Hutu extremists continue to seek refuge in Congo, posing a threat to both Tutsis in DRC and Rwanda itself. However, Congo has dismissed these claims, accusing Rwanda of using proxy militias to exploit valuable minerals like coltan, a key component in smartphones.
On Monday, border tensions escalated as Congolese and Rwandan troops exchanged gunfire, leaving at least nine Rwandan soldiers dead, further heightening the risk of a regional conflict.