DR CONGO WAR: CAUSALITIES RISES ABOVE 700

According to reports, over seven hundred (700) fled Goma and its surrounding area in less than a week due to conflict with the M23 rebels.

The rebels have significantly escalated violence in the region.The Congolese authorities claim that these numbers may be underestimated, as the rebels have instructed local residents to clear the streets of Goma, potentially hiding evidence of mass graves.

The M23 rebels, with alleged support of about 4,000 troops from nearby Rwanda, reportedly stormed and captured the city of Goma and its surrounding area, home to about 1 million people, on January 27, 2025.

The United Nations claims that M23 is the most powerful of over 100 armed factions fighting for control of the mineral-rich east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is home to enormous resources that are essential to a large portion of global technology.

BACKGROUND STORY OF THE WAR IN CONGO

Based on research, the Democratic Republic of Congo is a country blessed with a plethora of rich natural resources. These resources include gold, tin, and coltan.

However, the country’s resources have been caught in a web of corruption and bloodshed as prominent protagonists from within and outside the country compete for control of the region.

The country has been in the cycle of conflicts for over 30 years since the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. These conflicts have reportedly left over 7 million displaced, leaving citizens suffering from extreme poverty and endless atrocities like sexual abuse.

The city of Goma was seized by M3 rebels led by the Tutsi ethnic minority in 2012, but with UN assistance, the Congolese army reclaimed control of the region in 2013. In 2021, the rebels took up guns, claiming to safeguard the Tutsi.

The M23 rebels claim that numerous deals to end the conflict have not been respected.