Skip to content Skip to Content

Residents of Congo’s besieged city live in fear as government forces battle rebel takeover

By Nimi Princewill, Joshua Replogle, Stephanie Halasz and Eve Brennan, CNN

(CNN) — Residents of the besieged city of Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, say they are gripped by fear as gunshots continue to ring out around their homes, days after rebel forces claimed they had taken over.

Several people, including foreign peacekeepers, have reportedly died and hundreds more are injured as fighting persists for a third day between fighters of the AFC/M23 rebel coalition and government forces battling to reclaim the city.

Hospitals treating the wounded are overwhelmed, aid agencies said, who also reported grievous crimes committed against civilians.

Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the United Nations humanitarian office said Tuesday that there are “many dead bodies” on the streets, adding that fighters have reportedly raped civilians.

Goma resident Camilie, who did not want to give his full name for security reasons, told CNN he heard sounds of bombings and gunfire, and found bullet casings in his backyard.

“People are hiding in their houses,” said Camille, who lives in Goma’s Himbi neighborhood. “People are scared because we have no electricity, water, or internet, so we spend the night in the dark.”

He added that several incidents of robberies and looting have also been witnessed in the area.

“Yesterday, there was a little bit of calm, and people thought that everything was over. Some people went out in the streets and were able to buy some stuff. And during the situation, a lot of robbing and looting took place… Many warehouses and stores have been looted by the local population.”

Rams Kiriza, who lives in the center of Goma, heard detonations on Wednesday morning, but “for the moment, the situation is calm,” he said.

Kiriza said that the rebels were yet to capture parts of the city but had ordered locals to evacuate.

The rebel alliance – accused by Congolese authorities of being bolstered by Rwanda – told CNN earlier this week that they had captured the city. Home to around 2 million people, Goma is the provincial capital of North Kivu and the largest city in Congo’s east.

Humanitarian and medical facilities have come under fire amid the fighting. Doctors Without Borders’ (MSF) emergency coordinator in North Kivu Virginie Napolitano said Wednesday that medical stocks had been looted and a bullet had pierced the roof of the operating theatre at the Kyeshero hospital as an operation was underway.

“The impact of this fighting on the civilian population is enormous. In addition to the wounded and dead, we are receiving devastating reports from internally displaced people camps where our teams can no longer go,” MSF’s head of programs in North Kivu Stephan Goetghebuer said, according to Wednesday’s press release.

The fighting in Goma is also stirring panic in nearby cities. From Bukavu, Congolese citizen Benjamin Lindani told CNN, “Everyone is trying to rush to get some money out from their banks and get some food from supermarkets,” describing long lines of people at banks and markets.

David Cikuru, who heads a civil society organization in Goma but recently moved out of the city to Bukavu, told CNN there were numerous government armed forces and pro-government militia fighters in Bukavu who had looted goods from some civilians. He said gunfire could also be heard on the outskirts of the city.

Rebels claim takeover

On Wednesday, Victor Tesongo, the AFC spokesman, told CNN: “The situation is very calm. We have taken control of the city despite some minor tensions from the government soldiers.”

Tesongo said that a stadium in Goma had been opened to receive surrendering government troops.

On Monday, the Uruguayan army, whose troops are part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Goma, said in a statement that “hundreds” of Congolese soldiers had laid down their weapons following M23’s 48-hour ultimatum.

Rwanda’s national broadcaster also shared footage of Congolese soldiers surrendering their arms to Rwandan forces at a Rwandan border post after fleeing Goma.

The Congolese government has not confirmed the rebels’ takeover but acknowledged their presence in Goma. Earlier on Wednesday, a new military governor was appointed for North Kivu, which was described by the Congolese military as being “under a state of siege.”

The army said that it remained “fully committed to restoring the authority of the State, neutralizing armed groups and ensuring the protection of the population.”

On Tuesday, the rebels gained control of Goma’s airport, blocking an ammunition shipment sent to the city by the Congolese army, a French intelligence source told CNN.

The violence also spiraled into the national capital, Kinshasa, where protesters lit fires outside several Western and African embassies, including that of Rwanda.

Calls for ceasefire

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was “deeply troubled” by the violence in eastern Congo, which borders Rwanda.

During a call with Rwandan leader, Paul Kagame on Tuesday, Rubio urged warring parties to ensure “an immediate ceasefire” and “respect sovereign territorial integrity.”

Kagame described the conversation as “productive,” adding that it stressed “the need to ensure a ceasefire… and address the root causes of the conflict once and for all.”

The Congolese government accused Rwanda of equipping the M23 with both weapons and troops. Rwanda does not deny the allegations.

A spokesperson for the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo, told CNN that her country “will do what is necessary to defend our borders and protect Rwandans.”

Eastern African leaders plan to convene an emergency meeting this week to find solutions to the crisis, Kenya’s President William Ruto said Monday, urging Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi “to heed the call for peace.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - World

Jump to comments ↓

CNN Newsource

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KION 46 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.