M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda according to Congo and UN experts, captured Goma, a key eastern city in Congo, escalating a decades-long conflict marked by ethnic tensions and humanitarian crisis. The city, a regional trade and humanitarian hub, has seen heavy fighting, with thousands attempting to flee the violence. International pressure is mounting on both Rwanda and Congo to restart peace talks.
Congo ’s security forces were fighting on Tuesday against Rwanda -backed rebels who advanced into a key eastern city in a major escalation of a decades-long conflict.rebels claimed to have captured on Monday Goma is a regional trade and humanitarian hub holding hundreds of thousands of the more than 6 million people displaced by eastern Congo ’s prolonged conflict over ethnic tensions that have resulted in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
“Since morning we have heard bomb explosions and crackling bullets,” said Sam Luwawa, a resident of Goma. “So far we cannot say who really controls the city.” The humanitarian situation in Goma “is extremely, extremely worrying, with a new threshold of violence and suffering reached today,” Bruno Lemarquis, the United Nations humanitarian co-ordinator for Congo, told reporters in a video news conference on Monday. He said hundreds of thousands of people were attempting to flee the violence.
Aid groups are reporting they are unable to reach displaced people who rely on them for food and other necessities.
CONGO RWANDA REBELS GOMA HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
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