Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have captured Goma, the largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, causing panic among its 2 million residents. The rebels announced their takeover early yesterday following a 48-hour ultimatum for Congolese troops to surrender, marking a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between rebels and the DRC government.
Goma, located in the North Kivu province, serves as a regional hub for humanitarian efforts and security operations. The M23 rebels, primarily an ethnically Tutsi group, are one of many armed factions vying for control in the region, which boasts an estimated $24T in mineral wealth. M23 captured Goma in 2012 but withdrew under international pressure. UN experts estimate the group has since added 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan Defense Force soldiers. About 2.8 million people, more than one-third of North Kivu's population, have already been displaced.
The DRC has cut diplomatic relations with Rwanda and called for UN sanctions; however, both nations' presidents have reportedly agreed to meet at an upcoming summit to discuss the crisis.
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