GOMA, Congo — The governor of North Kivu province in eastern Congo has died due to injuries incurred during front-line combat, as reported by military officials on Friday, amidst the advancing threat of the M23 rebel group closing in on Goma, the provincial capital.
In recent weeks, M23 has made substantial territorial advancements, encircling Goma, which has a population of approximately 2 million people and serves as a crucial hub for local security and humanitarian operations.
The details surrounding Maj. Gen. Peter Cirimwami’s death remain unclear. He was leading army operations in the conflict-ridden North Kivu and had visited troops stationed at the front line in Kasengezi, located about 13 kilometers (8 miles) from Goma, on the day he succumbed to his injuries.
Cirimwami passed away in a hospital after being evacuated from the combat zone. General Sylvain Ekenge, spokesperson for the Congolese army, confirmed the governor’s death. “He fell on the field of honor,” Ekenge stated in a video shared by the Congolese presidency, explaining that Cirimwami ultimately succumbed to his injuries shortly after evacuation.
On Thursday, anxiety escalated in Goma as M23 took control of Sake, a town situated only 27 kilometers (16 miles) from the provincial capital, which was one of the last significant access points to the city still under government control, according to the United Nations.
M23 is one of approximately 100 armed factions that have been competing for influence in the mineral-rich eastern regions of Congo, bordering Rwanda, in a conflict that has lasted decades, resulting in one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally.
Over 7 million individuals have been displaced due to this ongoing violence. Earlier in the month, M23 successfully captured Minova, Katale, and Masisi, which are west of Goma.
The group previously occupied Goma in 2012 for over a week. Both Congo’s government and U.S. officials, along with U.N. specialists, have accused Rwanda of supporting M23, which is primarily made up of ethnic Tutsis who left the Congolese army around ten years ago.
While Rwanda’s government denies these allegations, last year it acknowledged the presence of its troops and missile systems in eastern Congo as a measure for its security amid the assembly of Congolese forces close to its border. U.N. estimates suggest that there could be around 4,000 Rwandan soldiers in Congo.
Tensions in Goma were palpable on Friday as clashes between the Congolese armed forces and M23 erupted in the city’s outskirts.
The fighting has been particularly intense around Kibumba, located approximately 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Goma, and Sake, to the west. More than 178,000 individuals have fled due to M23’s advancements in just the last two weeks.
Among the displaced is Alliance Gentil, 25, who was traveling from Sake to Goma with her two children. Resting on her water container beside her few belongings and with a baby strapped to her back, Gentil expressed her exhaustion from the constant need to flee. “I am fleeing, but I don’t know where I am going,” she lamented, noting that this was her third escape within the last month.
The front line near Goma now lies mere meters away from the Lushagala and Bulengo displacement camps, increasing fear among those who had sought refuge close to the provincial capital.
Tens of thousands have sought shelter in the camps surrounding Goma in recent weeks, joining nearly 600,000 displaced individuals already present, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
On Friday, the sounds of heavy artillery echoed through Goma, leading to many shops remaining shuttered, while police enforced increased security on the city’s main thoroughfares. Military checkpoints were established throughout the city to scrutinize all vehicles.
