M23 Rebels Expand Their Control Of Goma In Eastern Congo

Rwanda-backed rebels captured large parts of Goma, the biggest city in eastern Congo, including its airport, the United Nations said, as Rwanda’s president on Wednesday joined calls for a ceasefire in the decadeslong conflict amid mounting international pressure.

Much of Goma was calm after a day during which thousands of fleeing people hunkered down by roadsides as missiles flew overhead, and injured people streamed to overwhelmed hospitals.

While government forces still control pockets of Goma, residents who spoke to The Associated Press by phone on Tuesday said that the M23 rebel group was in control of much of the city.

The M23 rebels, who said that they captured the city on Monday after a weekslong advance, are one of about 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo. The conflict escalated with the rebels’ advance into Goma, which left bodies on the streets and drove hundreds of thousands of already displaced people to flee once again.

Read more: AP