By : Lloyd Mahachi
Thirteen soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been killed in clashes with rebels from the M23 group. The South African military confirmed that nine of its soldiers died while helping to push back a rebel advance on the city of Goma, in eastern DR Congo. Additionally, three Malawian and one Uruguayan peacekeepers were also killed in the fighting.
The M23 group has been advancing on Goma, a city of over one million people, prompting the United Nations to pull all non-essential staff out of the area. The UN Security Council has also moved up a meeting to discuss the deadly clashes, which was originally set for Monday but will now take place on Sunday due to the escalating conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an end to the fighting, speaking separately with the leaders of both DR Congo and Rwanda. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has also urged the M23 to halt its advance and condemned Rwanda’s support for the group.
The conflict has already led to over 400,000 people fleeing their homes this year, according to the UN. Local leaders report that more than 200 civilians have been killed in areas captured by the M23, with hospitals in Goma treating hundreds of patients. The humanitarian situation is dire, with Human Rights Watch warning of escalating risks to civilians as the Congolese army battles the M23 rebels.
The M23 group has taken control of vast swathes of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo since 2021, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. DR Congo and the UN accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, although Rwanda has neither confirmed nor denied this. The conflict has been ongoing for years, with the M23 forming as an offshoot of another rebel group in 2012 to protect the Tutsi population in eastern DR Congo.
The international community is calling for an end to the violence, with several countries urging their citizens to leave Goma. The UN has warned that the ongoing conflict is worsening the humanitarian crisis in the region, and it is clear that immediate action is needed to protect civilians and prevent further bloodshed.
Editor : Josephine Mahachi