Civilians Flee as M23-DRC Army Clashes Edge Closer to Goma

Thousands of civilians are fleeing their homes as intense fighting between M23 rebels and the DRC army nears the strategic city of Goma, escalating fears of a humanitarian crisis.

Civilians have been evacuating the Nzulo camp for displaced individuals near Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as clashes between M23 rebels and the Congolese army draw closer to the provincial capital.

The camp is home to internally displaced people who have already fled at least once due to the decades-long conflict, which has resulted in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

However, due to the increased fighting between the Congolese army and Rwandan-supported M23 rebels, they now believe that it is no longer safe to remain.

On Wednesday, David Kasereka escaped on a motorbike with a young child. He barely paused to explain that they were leaving because the rebels had captured the nearby Ngwiro hill.

“We are escaping, uncertain of our destination because the bombs seem to follow us everywhere. They’re already nearby, and we anticipate a hail of bullets. That’s why we’ve chosen to leave the camp,” he explained.

Nadège Bauma, along with many others from Nzulo, was initially forced to leave her home because of the heavy fighting in Sake.

On Wednesday, this mother of six gathered whatever belongings she could and loaded them into a minibus to help her family escape once more.

“We just found out that the M23 have reached Ngwiro, so we chose to leave because there are bullets and bombs everywhere. We’re scared,” she explained.

On Tuesday, Congolese authorities reported that M23 had taken control of Minova, a crucial supply route located only 40 kilometers from Goma.

They are also reported to have taken control of several mining towns in the area.

On Monday, the United Nations reported that over 237,000 individuals have been displaced from their homes in the mineral-rich region since the beginning of this year.

Earlier this week, Amnesty International urged the conflicting parties to cease using explosive weapons in areas with high population density.

The March 23 Movement, or M23, is a militant group formed by ethnic Tutsis who split from the Congolese army slightly more than ten years ago.

Rwanda refutes allegations from the DRC and the United Nations regarding its alleged provision of troops and weapons to support the group.

M23 is among approximately 100 armed groups that have been competing for influence in the mineral-rich eastern region of Congo since the conflict started in 1998.

Over 7 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

Various diplomatic efforts by neighboring countries and others to resolve the conflicts have been unsuccessful.