GOMA, Congo — The M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday aimed at providing humanitarian relief, following urgent calls for safe passage for aid amidst significant displacement of residents. The ceasefire is set to take effect on Tuesday, coming in the wake of devastating clashes in Goma that resulted in at least 900 fatalities, according to the United Nations health agency, although the Congolese government previously reported lower figures at 776.
Located in a region rich in mineral resources, the city of Goma is critical, and after asserting control over it last week, the rebels indicated they were also making gains in various other locations in eastern Congo, including an advance towards the provincial capital, Bukavu. Despite their military progress, the M23 stated their intention to pause hostilities in order to facilitate humanitarian efforts, clarifying they did not plan to capture Bukavu, despite prior statements of their wider ambitions that included targeting the capital located a thousand miles away.
M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka emphasized in a statement that “we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas,” reiterating the group’s commitment to protecting civilians as well as maintaining their current positions. As of now, there has been no response from the Congolese government regarding this announcement.
This ceasefire comes just ahead of an anticipated summit involving leaders from regional groups in southern and eastern Africa, where a call for cessation of hostilities has been made. Kenyan President William Ruto stated that both the presidents of Congo and Rwanda are expected to attend. Meanwhile, foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have encouraged relevant parties in the conflict to return to negotiations, stressing the importance of rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to civilians in need.
Congolese officials have expressed a willingness to engage in talks to end the conflict but maintain that any discussions must be grounded in previously established peace accords. Conversely, both Rwanda and the M23 rebels accuse the Congolese government of breaching earlier agreements. The M23 rebels, whose strength has reportedly grown to include approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops, are the most prominent among many armed factions operating in eastern Congo, an area pivotal for global technological resources.
The recent hostilities have exacerbated the plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals, forcing them to abandon what little belongings they managed to salvage from previous displacements, with many seeking refuge in neighboring Rwanda. The ongoing violence is part of a prolonged ethnic conflict in the region, with the M23 asserting they defend ethnic Tutsis in Congo, amid claims from Rwanda that Tutsis are facing persecution from Hutus and remnants of the militias linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
Following the recent violence, many families in Goma have been arriving at morgues in distress, desperately searching for their loved ones’ remains. In a heartrending account, Chiza Nyenyezi recounted her experience of losing her son to a gunshot wound. “His entire chest was open,” she mourned. Another resident, Louise Shalukoma, expressed agony over the inability to retrieve her son’s body because of an explosive device that detonated as an attempt was made to recover it. “When I saw that he was dead, I said, ‘Lord, what am I going to do?'” she lamented, mourning the impact the conflict has wrought on her family.
