Armed clashes have again erupted in the city of Goma, located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, between government forces and the M23 rebel group, which is supported by Rwanda. This was reported by Reuters, reports UNN.
Details
Local residents report heavy gunfire and explosions that began before dawn. People were panicking and leaving their homes in search of safe haven. One eyewitness said he heard rocket launchers exploding, and after the shooting stopped, he saw several wounded and dead people on the streets of the city, presumably M23 fighters.
According to preliminary data, at least 52 people have died as a result of hostilities in the city and its environs. However, there is currently no independent confirmation of this information, and the exact number of victims is difficult to establish.
The Congolese government accuses the M23 rebels of escalation. For its part, an M23 representative said that the fighting was a response to a provocation by government forces and the allied Wazalendo militia. The leader of this armed group admitted to participating in the events, but insisted that its actions were defensive in response to attacks by the M23 earlier in the week.
At the same time, the Congolese army also criticizes Wazalendo, pointing to the destructive role of this militia in the overall course of the conflict.
The international community has long expressed concern about the influence of the Rwandan state on the situation in eastern Congo. The UN and a number of Western governments have repeatedly accused Kigali of providing support to M23, including weapons and personnel. Rwanda insists that its intervention is to protect national interests and respond to threats from Rwandan militants operating in Congo.
Against the background of the escalation of the conflict, the parties sent delegations to Qatar, where negotiations are to be held in the capital Doha with the mediation of local authorities. The main goal is to reach at least a temporary ceasefire and prevent further bloodshed.
The M23's offensive operations in recent months have led to significant humanitarian consequences: thousands of deaths, hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons, and loss of state control over resource-rich territories where valuable minerals are mined, including gold, coltan, and tin.
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