Rwanda-Backed Rebels Capture Key City in Eastern DR Congo: A Developing Crisis
Rwanda-Backed Rebels Capture Key City in Eastern DR Congo: A Developing Crisis
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have taken control of Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The capture follows a 48-hour deadline for the Congolese army to surrender their weapons. The UN reports mass panic, and the DRC government has labeled the insurgency a 'declaration of war'. The situation threatens to worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis in the region, with millions of people displaced. The DRC has severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda, fearing a Rwandan 'invasion'. Goma, a key regional hub, is a humanitarian and security hub, and its fall to the rebels would have catastrophic consequences for civilians.