Since the beginning of January 2025, more than 3,000 people have been killed and 700,000 displaced by the fighting in in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the advance of the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.
Transmitted by UNN with reference to Africanews.
The recent capture of the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo by M23 rebels opens a new chapter in the decade-long conflict in eastern Congo, and the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region has further displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
Speaking at the summits of the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union Peace and Security Council, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Silence the weapons, stop the escalation. We are at a critical juncture and it is time to unite for peace
The UN Secretary-General also conveyed a clear message: “Respect the sovereignty and integrity of the DR Congo. There is no military solution”.
What is happening in the DR Congo
The armed confrontation between Congolese government forces and the M23 has been going on since the beginning of the year.
M83 - “March 23 Movement” - is a Congolese rebel group representing the interests of the Tutsi ethnic minority.
On Monday, the M23 rebels announced an alleged humanitarian ceasefire after requests for safe passage of aid and assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
However, the Congolese government called the announced truce a “false report,” while the UN noted reports of heavy fighting with Congolese forces in the mineral-rich region.
On Tuesday, a week after the M23 rebels took control of the city of Goma, Red Cross workers continued mass graves.
According to government sources, more than 3,000 people have been killed since the beginning of January: Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani said that 2,000 victims had been buried. The WHO has adjusted the official death toll. Also, 700,000 people have been displaced.
