Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo — It has been over a year since M23 rebels seized control of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu — and the humanitarian catastrophe shows no sign of abating. Fighting between the Congolese army (FARDC) and the Tutsi-led rebel group continues to displace hundreds of thousands, trap civilians in crossfire, and deepen a crisis that has persisted for three decades.
The Fall of Goma: A Turning Point
In early 2025, the world watched in alarm as M23 forces captured Goma, a city of over two million people on the shores of Lake Kivu. It was the most significant territorial gain by any rebel group in recent Congolese history — and a devastating blow to the already fragile state. The Congolese army has proven incapable of retaking the city in full.
The consequences for civilians were immediate and brutal. Mass killings, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and the forced recruitment of young men by both M23 and government-aligned militias followed in the wake of the offensive.
A Multilateral Crisis With Global Roots
The M23 rebellion is not simply an internal Congolese matter. The group is widely viewed as a proxy for Rwanda, which the UN and multiple governments have accused of arming, training, and commanding M23 fighters. Rwanda denies direct involvement, but substantial evidence — including UN Group of Experts reports — points to a consistent pattern of Rwandan military support.
Uganda has also been accused of involvement on the government side, while a patchwork of local militias, self-defense groups, and opportunistic criminal networks complicate the conflict further. Eastern Congo sits atop some of the world’s richest deposits of coltan, cobalt, and cassiterite — minerals essential for smartphones and electric vehicles.
Civilians Caught in the Crossfire
For the men, women, and children living in North Kivu’s towns and villages, every day is a calculation of survival. “They told us we had to leave, but where do we go?” asked one mother of four, displaced from her home near Rutshuru. “The FARDC cannot protect us. The M23 wants to conscript our sons. And the bandits rob us on the road.”
Humanitarian organizations have documented systematic violations on all sides. M23 has been accused of using child soldiers and subjecting civilian populations to forced labor. New recruits continue to swell the ranks of armed groups.
Can Peace Talks Deliver?
The United Nations has welcomed signs of progress in inter-Congolese dialogue, but warned that violence continues to outpace diplomatic efforts. Regional summits have repeatedly called for ceasefires, but ceasefires have been violated before the delegations have even left the room.
A durable solution would require addressing the root causes: Rwanda’s external aggression, the weakness of Congolese state institutions, and the chronic underfunding of humanitarian operations.
The Human Cost
Behind every statistic is a person. Over 2.5 million displaced persons are estimated to be living in and around Goma. Camps are overcrowded, unsanitary, and dangerous. Food insecurity affects over 60 percent of the population in active conflict zones. Health facilities have been destroyed or overrun.
The tragedy of eastern Congo is not new — it has been building for 30 years. But the current phase is distinctive for its brutality, its geographic scope, and the near-total failure of the international system to stop it.
Sources: France 24, CFR Global Conflict Tracker, International Crisis Group, UN News