Over 900 people have been killed in the past two weeks amid intense fighting between M23 rebels and government forces in Goma, a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The World Health Organisation said in a statement late Monday that since January 26, some 2,880 injured people have been admitted to several medical institutions in Goma.
Tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes last week as the M23 armed group, supported by Rwandan troops, took control of Goma’s airport as its fighters marched through the city, which is the regional seat of North Kivu.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the rebels have stepped up their attacks, gaining control of Goma and setting up checkpoints that drastically limit humanitarian aid.
With Goma under their control, the rebels pushed towards Bukavu, another major city in eastern DRC. The organisation has previously stated that it intends to move across the nation in the direction of Kinshasa, the capital. The M23 rebels, however, denied plans to seize Bukavu in a recent statement.
“It must be made clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. However, we reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka stated.
In the meantime, forces supported by Rwanda in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo declared on Tuesday that they would halt their advance for humanitarian reasons.
In response to mounting humanitarian concerns, the Alliance Fleuve Congo rebel coalition announced a unilateral ceasefire that would begin on Tuesday.
The rebels’ statement, posted on X, reads, “The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) informs the public that, in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the regime in Kinshasa, it declares a ceasefire starting February 4, 2025, for humanitarian reasons.”
The DRC government in Kinshasa has not responded immediately to the ceasefire proclamation, and it is yet unknown if the Congolese military will uphold the agreement. Numerous ceasefires and truces have been announced during the last three years, only to be routinely breached.
The International Committee of the Red Cross reported treating more than 600 wounded people since the beginning of January, with about half of them being civilians, including women and children, prior to the truce announcement.
As displaced communities find it difficult to obtain healthcare, the WHO has issued a warning about an increased risk of disease epidemics, including cholera, measles, and mpox.
