Rebels from the M23 movement claim to have taken control of the city of Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Residents shared videos of M23 rebels patrolling Goma’s main streets following a lightning advance against the Congolese army on Sunday that saw tens of thousands flee neighboring towns.
After hours of shooting and explosions, the streets of Goma – where more than a million people live – are now calm, according to local media.
This comes hours after the DRC’s foreign minister accused Rwanda of declaring war by sending its troops across the border to support M23 rebels. Rwanda says Kinshasa supports militias who want regime change in Kigali.
Kenya called for a ceasefire and announced that the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda would attend an emergency regional summit in the next two days.
Kenyan President William Ruto, current chairman of the East African Community, said it was the responsibility of regional leaders to help facilitate a peaceful solution to the conflict.
The M23 group has taken control of large areas of the mineral-rich eastern DRC since 2021. In recent weeks, the group has advanced rapidly toward Goma amid intense fighting.
Since the start of 2025, more than 400,000 people have been displaced in North and South Kivu, provinces close to the border with Rwanda, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
A displaced woman, Alice Feza, said she does not know what to do next as she fled Kiwanja, Rutshuru, Kibumba and now Goma.
“People are fleeing everywhere and we don’t know where to go anymore, because we started fleeing a long time ago,” Ms. Feza said, adding: “The war surprises us here, among the host families, now we don’t we have nowhere to go.
Main roads surrounding Goma are blocked and the city’s airport can no longer be used for evacuations and humanitarian efforts, the UN said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from DRC territory and the M23 rebel group to stop its advance.
Guterres, in a statement through his spokesperson, called on Rwanda to “stop supporting the M23 and withdraw from DRC territory.” He also called on the M23 to “immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from occupied areas”.
It comes after 13 soldiers serving in peacekeeping forces were killed in clashes with rebels.
The UK called for an end to attacks on peacekeepers, while French UN representative Nicolas de Rivière reiterated Guterres’ call for Rwanda to withdraw its troops from DR Congo.
DR Congo and the UN say the M23 group is supported by Rwanda.
Rwanda has not denied it, but the country’s leaders blame DR Congo for the current conflict.
Speaking at the Security Council meeting, Rwanda’s representative to the UN, Ernest Rwamucyo, said he regretted that the international community had chosen to condemn the M23 group rather than the Congolese army which, according to he had violated a ceasefire.
On Saturday, the UN announced it would withdraw all non-essential personnel from Goma. Essential operations are underway in DR Congo.
