Over 900 people have died in the past two weeks due to intense fighting between M23 rebels and government forces in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The World Health Organization reported on Monday that approximately 2,880 injured people have been admitted to Goma health facilities since January 26.
Last week, Rwandan-backed M23 fighters seized Goma’s airport and swept through the city, the capital of North Kivu province, forcing tens of thousands to flee.
The rebels have escalated attacks in eastern DRC, claiming control of Goma, establishing checkpoints, and severely limiting humanitarian access.
After taking Goma, the rebels advanced toward Bukavu, another major city in eastern DRC. They had previously stated their intention to move across the country to Kinshasa. However, M23 rebels recently denied any plans to capture Bukavu.
“We want to be clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. We reaffirm our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” said M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka.
Meanwhile, Rwandan-backed forces in eastern DRC announced on Tuesday that they would pause their advance for humanitarian reasons.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo rebel coalition declared a unilateral ceasefire on Tuesday, citing growing humanitarian concerns.
A statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) said they were declaring a ceasefire starting February 4, 2025, for humanitarian reasons, due to the crisis caused by the Kinshasa regime.
The DRC government in Kinshasa has not yet responded to the ceasefire declaration, and it is unclear if the Congolese military will observe the truce. Numerous ceasefires and truces have been declared and broken over the past three years.
Prior to the ceasefire announcement, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported treating over 600 wounded since the beginning of January, nearly half of whom were civilians, including women and children.
The WHO has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks like mpox, cholera, and measles as displaced populations struggle to access medical care.
