By james art 
Goma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo – in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the government forces and the allies defending the city of Goma, seem to have collapsed, with the M23 rebels being supported by the neighboring Rwanda, claiming that they have taken over the city.
All day on Sunday, the sound of artillery fire could be heard all over the city, as Congoan helicopter guns flew low on the road to the front lines. Thousands of people carrying their belongings were rushing to the city center, trying to escape the fighting.
The residents of the city sheltered, with the shops closed and the streets mostly empty. In the outdoor suburbs, the ammunition landed in densely packed moving bearings. Power is also reduced to most people in a city of over one million people after electric lines were damaged in the fighting. Many people have struggled to charge their phones and keep in touch with loved ones.
“We are afraid, but where can we separate from Kivu Lake,” said Vicky Sushindi, a 23-year-old spice seller, referring to the lake whose shore is sitting. She said she would remain inserted if the M23 arrives, but this power outage is a more pressing problem than the artillery. “In this darkness, the rebels could come without us knowing,” Sushindi added.
The Eastern Congo region has been covered by a conflict for more than three decades, much of it stems from the Rwanda genocide in 1994. M23, which is commanded by Congoan’s officers, first appeared in 2012 as a hereditary group to Po -An the militias led by Tutsi in the Eastern Congo region of huge mineral wealth, amazing natural beauty, but also extreme poverty. Group caught That same year, before he was expelled and went to the ground.
But at the end of 2021, the rebels began another campaign and quickly took control of the territory in the province of North Kivu, which borders Rwanda. M23 says he is fighting for the protection of minorities in Congo, such as Tutsi, although Rights Accuse him of committing a massacre among other abuses.
In January, the three -year conflict escalated dramatically, with the M23 fighters taking the territory in the neighboring province of South Kivu for the first time and descending from positions in the lush hills around the Goma to engage Congojan forces and allies in battle. On Saturday, the rebels issued an ultimatum to the Congojan forces defending Goma, giving them 48 hours to lay weapons. Congoan forces-pledged by UN peacekeepers, European private military companies and a dizzying area of pro-government local militias-they were fighting to detain the rebels.
South African regional military deployment, including South African, Tanzanian and Malawi troops, also supports the Congoan army – which is a well -known, poorly equipped and corrupt.
The total number of victims of the recent offensive remains unclear. But six UN peacekeepers were killed this week around Goma, as well as nine South African soldiers from the regional forces.
On Saturday, the United Nations evacuated the bigger part of its Goma civilian staff, as the danger of the city’s fall is increasing. Help groups have also evacuated most employees, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced people camping around the city with little help.
Rwanda Participation
Rwanda, who shares a border with Congo, supports the M23, according to the UN governments and the world’s major governments, including the United States.
Up to 4,000 regular Rwanda operates in North Kiu, independent experts who report in the UN Security Council report. Rwanda has also deployed high -tech military equipment such as mobile air defense units in North Kiu to support the M23.
The UN has long resisted publicly, recognizing Rwanda’s direct involvement in the conflict. Rwanda was the second largest associate of troops in UN peacekeeping missions worldwide in 2024.
But on Sunday night, as it seems that Goma is on the verge of falling, UN Secretary -General Antonio Guteres called on Rwanda to withdraw his forces from Congo. The leader of the UN peacekeeping mission, Bintu Kate, also said the Rwandan troops, along with M23 fighters, attacked north of Goma on Sunday, “Panic sowing”.
Rwanda has never acknowledged publicly to interfere with North Kivu or support the M23. He claims that speech and hate discrimination are at the heart of long -term uncertainty in East Congo and blames the government in the Congo Kinshasa capital in collaboration with Forces Democratics de Libération du rwanda (FDLR) – Militia founded by Rwanda Hutu officials who have fled to Congo after the 1994 genocide.
According to UN independent experts, Congoan military has cooperated with FDLR, as well as a series of other militias in his fight against M23. However, analysts do not consider FDLR a serious military threat to Rwanda.
Continuing fighting
On Sunday night, artillery fire could still be heard in the northwestern part of the city, but the situation on the front lines was unclear. The airport closed earlier in the afternoon after the M23 announced that it was closing the airspace over Goma.
Hospitals are also overflowing with people injured by firearms and shrapnel by artillery strikes, according to the United Nations organization for the coordination of humanitarian cases.
The Congoan authorities said the army would protect the city until the last. “The war has not yet begun. It will start now,” Congoy Army spokesman General Silvan Ecmen told reporters at a television press conference in Kinshasa on Saturday night.
While Congo recalled his ambassador from Rwanda, he stopped with a formal declaration of war.
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