DR Congo Crisis: Concerns Mount Over Potential Attack on Regional Capital Goma

M23 Rebels Threaten Goma: Rising Humanitarian Emergency in Eastern DRC

The United Nations has raised alarms over the potential for a major attack by the M23 armed group on Goma, the capital of North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN human rights office (OHCHR), warned that such an attack could have dire consequences for hundreds of thousands of civilians, exposing them to severe human rights abuses.

Escalating Sexual Violence

One of the most harrowing aspects of the ongoing conflict is the widespread use of sexual violence, Shamdasani emphasized. “Armed groups abduct, hold captive, and subject women and girls to sexual slavery. Many victims are killed after being raped,” she said. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has repeatedly condemned the systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon in this conflict.

The situation has worsened since the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces (MONUSCO) from South Kivu in June 2024. Peacekeepers have shifted their focus to defending critical areas in North Kivu, including Goma and Sake, as clashes continue between M23, the Congolese Armed Forces, and other armed groups.

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Hundreds of Thousands Newly Displaced

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), approximately 400,000 people have been displaced in North and South Kivu since the start of 2025 alone. This humanitarian crisis unfolds largely unseen by the global public, as displacement camps become targets of violence.

Matt Saltmarsh, UNHCR spokesperson, reported that bombs have fallen on camps for displaced people in both provinces. On January 20, explosions at the Kitalaga site in South Kivu killed two children. The following day, makeshift shelters in Nzuolo near Goma were destroyed, while heavy bombardments at Bushagara forced massive waves of displacement. Many fled to Goma in search of safety.

“Our staff remain on the ground in Goma, doing what they can to assist displaced civilians. However, current access is extremely challenging,” Saltmarsh told journalists in Geneva.

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UN Secretary-General Sounds Alarm

UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concern about the renewed offensive by the M23 rebels, denouncing the devastating toll it has taken on civilians. In a statement issued on January 23, Guterres noted the group’s reported capture of Sake in South Kivu, escalating the threat to Goma. These developments heighten fears of a regional war.

Guterres called on M23 to immediately halt its offensive, withdraw from all occupied areas, and adhere to the July 31, 2024 ceasefire agreement. He also urged nations with influence over the parties involved to push for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

OHCHR spokesperson Shamdasani underscored UN High Commissioner Volker Türk’s call for accountability, stating, “Any role played by Rwanda in supporting the M23 in North Kivu – or by any other country backing armed groups in the DRC – must end.” Rwanda has consistently denied any direct involvement with the M23.

“The people of the DRC are exhausted by violence, conflict, and the horrors of their daily lives. This situation must not be allowed to deteriorate further,” Shamdasani said.

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Severe Humanitarian Challenges

Conditions for displaced persons in South and North Kivu remain dire, with options for survival extremely limited. “If humanitarian agencies like UNHCR cannot access these sites, civilians are left in areas controlled by armed groups, where conditions are almost impossible to assess,” Saltmarsh explained.

North and South Kivu already host a staggering 4.6 million internally displaced people. UNHCR has documented escalating human rights violations, including looting, injuries, murders, kidnappings, and arbitrary arrests of displaced individuals wrongly accused of being rebels.

“Hospitals are nearing capacity with injured civilians,” Saltmarsh stated. “Vulnerable women, children, and the elderly are enduring overcrowded and unsafe conditions with scarce access to food, water, and essential services.”

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A Call to Action

As tensions mount in the eastern DRC, the international community faces an urgent need to address this unfolding humanitarian disaster. The people of the region, already worn down by years of conflict, urgently require peace, safety, and access to humanitarian aid. Without immediate intervention, the crisis threatens to spiral even further out of control.