United States, France, and Britain have urged Rwanda to end its alleged support for M23 rebels, who are advancing toward Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo. The offensive has displaced thousands of civilians and sparked fears of a broader regional conflict.
UN Security Council convened an emergency session on Sunday as M23 rebels, accused of receiving support from Rwanda, approached Goma’s outskirts. The rebels, now controlling more territory than ever, aim to capture the North Kivu provincial capital, home to nearly one million people. Rwanda denies backing M23.
“Attacks on peacekeepers by M23, with alleged support from Rwanda’s forces, must stop immediately,” stated James Kariuki, Britain’s deputy permanent representative to the UN Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea called for an immediate ceasefire, while France’s UN ambassador demanded Rwanda withdraw its troops from Congolese territory.
The conflict has intensified humanitarian concerns. UN reports that over 300,000 displaced people have fled camps around Goma in recent days. Aid efforts have stalled, with the World Food Programme suspending operations due to the violence.
Fighting has also claimed the lives of three UN peacekeepers and several Southern African soldiers involved in peacekeeping missions. On Sunday, UN envoy Bintou Keita warned that M23 forces and Rwandan troops had encircled Goma, cutting off roads and blocking the airport.
Rwanda’s UN ambassador, Ernest Rwamucyo, blamed Congo for the crisis, asserting a lack of commitment to peace. Congo’s government, however, accuses Rwanda of expansionist ambitions. Diplomatic ties between the two nations have been severed amid escalating violence.
As the situation worsens, fears grow of an expanded humanitarian crisis, adding to the region’s already dire conditions.