Thousands of people key Dr. Congo as rebels flee city

Thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are fleeing towns in the east of the country as rebel forces close in on the city of Goma.

According to local media reports, explosions and gunshots were heard in the city late on Sunday evening.

A spokesman for the rebel group told The Reuters News Agency that its forces would seize control of GOMA at 03:00 local time (01:00 GMT).

Dr. Congo’s foreign minister accused Rwanda of declaring war on Rwanda by sending its troops to the border to support M23 rebels. Rwanda says it has adopted a defensive posture.

M23 rebels have called on Congolese troops in Goma to surrender to avoid bloodshed.

The group has acquired the mineral-rich Eastern Dr. from 2021. Have taken control over large parts of Congo. The group has been rapidly advancing on Goma amid intense fighting over the past few weeks.

More than 400,000 people have been displaced in North and South Kivu, provinces near the border with Rwanda, since the beginning of 2025, according to the UN refugee agency.

Alice Feza, a displaced woman, said she is at a loss of what to do next, as she has fled Kiwanja, Rutshuru, Kibumba and now, Goma.

“People are running everywhere, and we don’t know where to go now, because we started running a long time ago,” Ms Feza said, “The war catches us here between host families, now we have nowhere to go. Have to go.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Dr. has called on the Congolese region and the M23 rebel group to withdraw their forces to halt their advance on Goma.

Guterres, in a statement through his spokesman, called on Rwanda to “cease support to the M23 and withdraw from DRC territory”. He also called on the M23 to “immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from the occupied territories”.

It was joined by 13 soldiers who were killed in clashes with rebels after serving with the peacekeeping force.

The UK has called for an end to attacks on peacekeepers, while France’s UN representative Nicolas de Rivière has called for Dr. Reiterated Guterres’ call for Rwanda to withdraw its troops from Congo.

Dr. Congo and the United Nations say the M23 group is supported by Rwanda.

Rwanda has not denied this, but the country’s leaders blame DR Congo for the current conflict.

Speaking at the Security Council meeting, Rwanda’s UN representative Ernest Rwamusio said he regretted that the international community chooses to condemn the M23 group rather than the Congolese army, which, he said, had violated a ceasefire. .

On Saturday, the United Nations said it would pull all of its non-essential staff out of Goma. Essential operations are underway in DR Congo.