Gunfire echoed through the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday as M23 rebels and Rwandan forces were spotted throughout the area. Hospitals reported at least 17 deaths and hundreds of injuries, forcing Goma residents to flee the escalating violence.
Videos and images of South African forces firing light arms and heavy weapons against M23 rebel positions have been published on the internet.
M23, or the March 23 Movement, is one of more than 100 armed groups fighting Congolese forces in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. It is present in North Kivu province in areas bordering Rwanda and Uganda and has more than 8,000 fighters, according to the UN.
Fighting with the M23 rebels in eastern DRC has resulted in the deaths of six United Nations peacekeepers, UN officials confirmed on Saturday. Among the casualties were two South African peacekeepers killed on Friday and a Uruguayan Blue Helmet on Saturday. The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-biggest party, reported that an additional 18 South African soldiers were injured in the clashes with M23.
Three Malawian peacekeepers were also killed in eastern Congo, adding to the toll of the ongoing conflict. South Africa’s Department of Defense confirmed the deaths of the two peacekeepers in a statement on Saturday and noted that seven South African soldiers from the Southern African Development Community Mission (SAMIDRC) were also killed during the clashes with M23 over the last two days.
“After two days of fierce fighting with the M23 rebel group in the eastern DRC, the South African contingent, alongside its counterparts, was able to halt the advancement of the rebel group towards Goma,” the statement read.
Congo’s government and allied forces, including SAMIDRC and UN troops, have been working to keep M23 away from Goma since 2021. The UN peacekeeping force, MONUSCO, has been present in Congo for over two decades, with around 14,000 peacekeepers on the ground.
South Africa’s Defense Minister, Angie Motshekga, was visiting the country’s troops stationed in Congo as part of the UN peacekeeping mission on the day the soldiers were killed.
In 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa extended the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This move comes as part of South Africa’s commitment to the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission (MONUSCO) and the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) efforts in the region.
Despite attempts to defend the city, M23, a Tutsi-led rebel group reportedly backed by Rwanda, has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks. The group has encircled Goma, a city of around 2 million people, and continues to apply pressure on Congo’s military forces.
The United Nations announced it would temporarily relocate non-essential staff from Goma, though essential personnel remain on the ground to sustain critical operations such as food distribution, medical assistance, shelter, and protection for vulnerable communities.
Although there have been multiple ceasefires and truces, the conflict remains unresolved. The UN stated that over 400,000 people have been displaced since January, adding to the millions already affected by decades of violence in eastern Congo.
The DRC, United States, and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, a group mainly composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago. In 2022, a group UN experts said in a report that they had “solid evidence” that Rwandan soldiers had been working with M23. Also, last July, UN experts said in a report that 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan government forces operated with M23 in eastern DRC. Rwanda denies these claims but has acknowledged the presence of its troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security.
M23 Rebel Group: History and Objectives
The M23 rebel group was formed in 2012 by former CNDP troops who rebelled against the Congolese government, accusing it of failing to honor a 2009 agreement. This agreement was supposed to integrate Tutsi fighters into the national army, protect minorities, and ensure fair resource distribution.
M23 claims its main goal is to safeguard the interests of Congolese Tutsis and other minorities, protecting them from Hutu rebel groups who fled to the DRC after participating in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
Back in 2012, M23 achieved significant territorial gains in eastern DRC, including a brief takeover of Goma. They withdrew after 10 days following a regionally brokered agreement.
Starting in 2022, M23 launched another offensive in North Kivu against DRC’s armed forces and the UN mission there. The group captured Rubaya, a key coltan mining town, generating around $800,000 monthly from taxes on the mineral’s production and trade, according to the UN.
There are about 11,000 peacekeepers in DRC, the majority of them in the country’s east, as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Monusco. The Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or SAMIDRC, also has troops in the country.
African leaders and the US have in the past brokered ceasefires.
