Sun Jan 26 15:10:00 UTC 2025: ## DRC Cuts Ties with Rwanda Amid Intensifying M23 Rebel Advance on Goma

**Kinshasa/New York** – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda amidst a rapidly escalating conflict with the M23 rebel group, which is threatening the key city of Goma. The UN Security Council has convened an emergency meeting as the Congolese army and UN peacekeepers struggle to contain the M23 advance.

The M23, a Rwandan-backed rebel group according to the DRC and UN, has made significant territorial gains this month, encircling Goma, a city of approximately two million people and a crucial hub for humanitarian operations. This renewed offensive, which began in earnest three years ago and has intensified sharply recently, has already displaced over 237,000 people this year alone.

At least nine peacekeepers have been killed in the fighting, including two from the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO. The US, UK, and France have urged their citizens to evacuate Goma while airport and border access remains open. The UN is temporarily relocating non-essential staff from Goma, but essential personnel remain to continue vital humanitarian aid.

Congolese army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge accused Rwanda of aiming to seize Goma, stating that Congolese forces are working to push back the rebels. Rwanda denies accusations of supporting the M23 with troops and weapons. The escalating conflict has raised serious concerns about the potential for a wider regional war, with the UN highlighting the risk. The decades-long conflict in eastern DRC, fueled by numerous armed groups vying for control of the region’s rich mineral resources, has already resulted in approximately six million deaths and seven million internally displaced persons since 1998. The current crisis underscores the fragility of peace and the immense humanitarian challenges facing the region.

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