Lifeless bodies fill streets in Goma
Nearly 3,000 people have been killed in the eastern city of Goma after a violent takeover by rebel forces, revealed the United Nations. The city has been engulfed in fierce fighting between the Congolese army and the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a rebel coalition that includes the M23 armed group.
Vivian van de Perre, the deputy head of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that “so far, 2,000 bodies have been collected from the streets of Goma with an additional 900 remaining in local hospitals’ mortuaries.” She emphasized the need for urgent action noting, “There are still many decomposing bodies in certain areas,” and warned that the death toll may continue to rise.
In the wake of the humanitarian crisis, the AFC announced a ceasefire on seeking to address the conflict’s toll on civilians, which they attributed to the Congolese government—referred to by the rebels as the “Kinshasa regime.” However, the government dismissed this ceasefire declaration as a “false communication,” and reports of intense fighting persist particularly in the neighboring South Kivu province.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, home to more than 100 million people has been plagued by violence for decades rooted in ethnic tensions and battles over valuable land and mineral resources. This turmoil has contributed to one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
Both Congo and the United States have accused Rwanda of providing support to the M23, which primarily consists of ethnic Tutsis who have been at odds with the Congolese government for over a decade. Rwanda’s government denies these allegations but admits to deploying troops and missile systems in eastern Congo citing national security concerns. President Paul Kagame told journalists on Monday that he was uncertain about the presence of Rwandan forces in Congo but maintained that his country would do what is necessary to protect itself.
Since its revival in 2022, the M23 has reinvigorated its rebellion against the Congolese government seizing significant territory in North Kivu which borders both Rwanda and Uganda. The region is rich in rare minerals like coltan, essential for manufacturing electronics such as smartphones and computers.
As the conflict continues, the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that can bring stability and peace to the war-torn region.
