Bodies, mostly dressed in military clothes, still lay this Thursday in the streets of Goma, witnesses of the recent chaos which opposed the rebels of the M23 to the Congolese armed forces since January 26. Despite the call of the fighters to the reopening of shops, a large part of the city remained without electricity or water.
The March 23 movement (M23), born in 2012 from a mutiny of former Tutsi rebels, took up arms in 2021, supported by Rwanda. The fighting moved 500,000 people and aggravated the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC.
President Félix Tshisekedi has promised a “vigorous and coordinated response” to repel the insurgents, who are now advancing towards the center of the South Kivu province, according to local sources.
UN experts believe that the M23 benefits from the support of nearly 4,000 Rwandan soldiers, a much larger force than in 2012.
While some residents were trying to regain a normal life, others were still fleeing, fearing a new escalation of violence.
