The Battle of Goma is an ongoing military campaign launched by the March 23 Movement (M23) Congolese rebel group against the regional capital of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The battle is part of the larger M23 offensive in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DRC, which resumed in October 2024 after a pause. During January 2025, the M23 rebel group made a rapid advance in the Kivu region, arriving at the North Kivu provincial capital Goma on January 25.
Rwanda, which is widely reported to be supporting M23 with soldiers and weapons, was as a result ordered to cease all diplomatic and consular activities as well as leave Kinshasa, the DRC's capital, within 48 hours in light of the offensive towards the city. UN sources estimate that between 500 and 1,000 Rwandan troops are assisting M23 in the Goma area.
Background
Goma has a population of around 1 million and is the provincial capital of North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Rwandan-backed rebel group March 23 Movement (M23), as part of their military offensive which has been ongoing since 2022, seized large amounts of territory in both the North and South Kivu provinces throughout January 2025. The amount of territory being seized and the speed of which it was happening prompted the United Nations (UN) to warn the offensive could lead to a larger regional war. Rwanda officially denies aiding the rebel group with troops and weapons, although intelligence suggests that Rwanda is supporting M23. A United Nations report in 2024 noted that Rwanda's military assistance had been "critical" to M23's campaign.
The Congolese government has described M23 as a terrorist organization that is used by Rwanda to exploit mineral resources in the eastern DRC and refused to negotiate with its leaders directly, as Rwandan president Paul Kagame and his government had insisted in December 2024 and January 2025. In December, the Congolese government also filed a lawsuit in a European court against the company Apple, accusing it of using illegally mined minerals from Congo to make electronics. Kagame claims that M23 represents the interests of Tutsis, an ethnic minority in the DRC, which had previously been the target of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Rwanda's government also noted that during the Kivu conflict in eastern Congo the Congolese military has worked with the FDLR, an ethnic Hutu militia whose members had committed the 1994 genocide in Rwanda against Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
On January 21, the provincial governor of the South Kivu providence, Jean-Jacques Purusi, confirmed the capture of the mining towns of Minova, Lumbishi, Numbi, and Shanje in South Kivu, and Bweremana in North Kivu; Minova previously served as a key supply route into Goma from South Kivu. Additionally, these advances by M23, which had made $800 million between April and December 2024 as revenue from coltan mining, extended their control over more territory with coltan, cassiterite, and gold. The fighting in the eastern DRC since the start of 2025 caused 400,000 people to be displaced in North and South Kivu.
M23 captured Sake, a town and critical road junction west of Goma that connected the city to the rest of country, from the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) on January 23, which allowed the group to cut off its main supply line. The Rwandan-backed group also controlled territory north of Goma, and began its offensive against the city itself on the same day. The quick success of the operation to cut off Goma indicated that FARDC morale and defenses in the region were breaking, causing fears of an impending fall of Goma, and Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi returned from his foreign trip early.
On January 24, the DRC officially severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda after nine South African peacekeepers were killed during combat with the rebel group and a Rwandan sniper killed the military governor of the North Kivu province on the front line. Rwandan officials were demanded to cease all diplomatic and consular activities as well as leave Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, within 48 hours. The Congolese foreign minister described Rwanda's military support for M23 a "declaration of war."
Congolese military spokesman General Sylvian Ekenge told the press on January 25 that "Rwanda is determined to seize the city of Goma". As the rebel group approached the city, the Rwandan army amassed troops along its border with the DRC and its senior commanders arrived in Gisenyi, a Rwandan town less than a mile away from the border. Some Rwandan troops crossed onto the Congolese side to assist M23, reportedly intending to capture Goma before the UN Security Council meeting planned for the following day. UN sources reported that the Rwanda Defence Force has de facto operational control over M23.
Offensive
Early in the morning of January 25, M23 advanced on the outskirts of Goma alongside heavy bombardments, but advances were reportedly pushed back by DRC forces. On the outskirts of the city, hundreds of thousands of civilians were displaced, especially due to the bombardments. M23 closed the airspace around Goma International Airport. Order in the city itself had reportedly not broken down with a large police presence being the largest chance since the beginning of the offensive. The Congolese armed forces (FARDC) set up a defensive line in the northern part of the city and the Birere area, including tanks, and are assisted by Romanian mercenaries and the "Wazalendo" militia. The FARDC fought off the initial M23 attack on January 25.
By the evening of January 26, the rebels were reported to have pushed through the Munigi neighborhood 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the Goma city center. M23 claimed that the city was under their control. Some peacekeepers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the UN were killed in the fighting over the previous days; among the dead were seven South Africans and three Malawians from the SADC mission in the DRC, and two South Africans and one Uruguayan from MONUSCO.
On January 27, M23 claimed the capture of the city. However, fighting continued in several parts and "tens of thousands" of people were displaced. The city's jail with 3,000 inmates was "literally torched" and the jailbreak resulted in fatalities. Rebel fighters reached the center of Goma that morning. A spokesman for the rebel coalition claimed that Congolese army soldiers were surrendering, though the army did not comment. According to Uruguayan peacekeepers, 100 Congolese soldiers surrendered and handed over their weapons at the MONUSCO base as the rebels had demanded, while 26 Congolese troops and one police officer surrendered to Rwandan border guards near Goma.
The government claimed later that morning that its troops are still holding the Goma International Airport and other key points in the city. Agence France Press reported that the Congolese army and allied militias put up "unexpected resistance" against better equipped and trained Rwandan forces, during intense fighting in the city center and western Goma, although some deserted and abandoned their uniforms. Congolese soldiers and militiamen had also been involved in looting, along with part of the civilian population. Looting was reported in Birere, Majengo, and near the airport. The FARDC and the Rwandan forces on the other side of the border also exchanged artillery fire, with Congolese troops on a hill in Goma firing at the Rwandan town of Gisenyi.
As of the evening of January 27, the FARDC and Wazalendo militia still held some parts of the city, according to president of the National Assembly Vital Kamerhe. Combat was still taking place near the airport and in some other areas. Electricity and water in Goma have been shut off since the start of the battle. An emergency meeting of the government was held by President Felix Tshisekedi. At least 17 people were reported killed during the fighting in Goma, while 367 others were injured. Additionally, five people were killed while 25 others were injured in the neighboring city of Gisenyi, across the border in Rwanda, in an incident related to the fighting.
Fighting for control of Goma was still ongoing as of early January 28, including at the city's airport. FARDC units are also present in other areas, such as the city center, where the situation was unclear because of continuing combat, while M23 appeared to control western Goma. The airport has become the largest pocket of government troops in the city. According to the Congolese minister of rural development, Muhindo Nzangi, the FARDC controls 80 percent of Goma while the rebels and Rwandan troops have been pushed to the outskirts of the city. However, later that day media reports based on Congolese security sources indicated that over 1,200 Congolese soldiers at the airport surrendered, allowing M23 to take control of it. The surrendered Congolese soldiers were sent to the MONUSCO base, held by the Uruguayan battalion, and which is also used to shelter civilians. South Africa confirmed that day that another four South African National Defence Force soldiers in MONUSCO had been killed.
After the capture of the Goma International Airport by M23 fighting continued in other parts of the city. Civilian casualties were reported to be at over 100 killed and 1,000 wounded.
Reactions
Domestic
M23 told all of the FARDC defending the city to lay down their arms and surrender to avoid any bloodshed. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance that includes M23, claimed on January 27 that their ultimate target is Kinshasa and implied that they want to overthrow the Congolese government.
On January 27, demonstrations took place to show support for the Congolese military and opposition to M23, notably in Kinshasa and Bukavu, South Kivu. The next day, on January 28, the rally in support of the FARDC fighting in the east and in protest of Rwandan aggression continued in Kinshasa. Police were deployed to protect foreign embassies as the situation escalated into riots. The French embassy was set on fire by protesters, while the Rwandan, French, Belgian and US embassies are also attacked. The Congolese demonstrators see Western countries as the main source of foreign aid money to Rwanda and believe that the international community has not taken enough action to pressure the Rwandan government.
International
The governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States have all urged their citizens to leave Goma amid the ongoing battle.
DR Congo: The government rejected an offer by Turkey to mediate between it and Rwanda on January 25, with the Congolese vice foreign minister saying that the DRC is "focusing on African solutions to African problems." On January 27 it stated that its army is "more than determined to defend the homeland at the cost of the supreme sacrifice," and also that Rwandan army soldiers are present in Goma. On the same day, DRC president Felix Tshisekedi agreed to attend a peace summit hosted by Kenya. Earlier, Congo's foreign minister described M23's attack on Goma as a "declaration of war" by Rwanda.
Rwanda: On January 26, the Rwandan representative to the UN said that the FARDC violated the previous ceasefire agreement and that the presence of foreign mercenaries poses a threat to Rwanda. President Paul Kagame agreed to Kenya's offer to host a summit between him and President Tshisekedi.
United Nations: The UN accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels with troops and weapons. On January 25, non-essential staff stationed in the city began relocating because of the deteriorating military situation on the city's outskirts. The deputy head of MONUSCO, Vivian van de Perre, said on January 28 that the Angolan-mediated peace process needed to be restarted to "avert the looming threat of a third Congo war."
European Union: The EU released a statement on January 25 stating that "Rwanda must cease its support for the M23 and withdraw".
Kenya: The Kenyan government has called for both the DRC and M23 to agree to a ceasefire. The heads of state of both Rwanda and the DRC agreed to attend a peace summit in Kenya's capital at the invitation of President William Ruto.
France: French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that "France strongly condemns the offensive led by the M23, backed by the Rwandan armed forces, which has led to the death of six peacekeepers and the displacement of several thousand people. Fighting must stop and dialogue resume."
Germany: The German government suspended negotiations with Rwanda regarding foreign aid on January 28.
United States: Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the M23 attack and affirmed that the U.S. supports the Congolese sovereignty.
Uruguay: In response to the killing of a Uruguayan peacekeeper, the government condemned the "targeted attack" on UN soldiers, labelling them as war crimes.
Notes
^Among the peacekeepers killed included 13 South Africans, 3 Malawians, and 1 Uruguayan.
Rwanda (denied)
1,326+ soldiers and police surrendered
17 peacekeepers killed
Rwanda (denied)
1,326+ soldiers and police surrendered
17 peacekeepers killed
