DR Congo’s Goma one year under M23 control

Nearly a year after Rwanda-backed M23 fighters seized the eastern Congolese city of Goma, life for civilians has changed dramatically, marked by insecurity, displacement, and deepening political tensions.

The takeover in late January last year followed days of intense fighting that left many residents killed or wounded and sent shockwaves through the provincial capital, a key hub in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, armed patrols and new security controls have become part of daily life in the city.

Residents and human rights groups report forced transfers of civilians from surrounding areas, alongside military operations targeting groups M23 considers hostile. The atmosphere of fear has upended normal life and strained already limited services.

The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of backing the rebel group, a claim Kigali denies. Speaking this week, DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya described conditions under M23 control as “governance by crime,” accusing Rwanda of attempting to export a model that, he said, stifles freedoms. Muyaya also blamed Rwanda’s president for undermining peace efforts, citing his absence from key talks in Luanda last December.

M23, however, rejects accusations that it is acting as a proxy force. The group says it is fighting for reforms, better governance, and the full implementation of past peace agreements. Corneille Nangaa, coordinator of the AFC-M23 alliance, said the movement’s struggle is aimed at transforming the DRC after decades of failure.

The conflict has triggered mass displacement. Tens of thousands fled Goma before and after its capture, while hundreds of thousands more have been displaced across the region, as diplomatic efforts to restore peace continue to falter.