The weeks-long offensive by the rebels has prompted warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis and growing international pressure to end the fighting. The fighting has forced about , people from their homes, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis, according to the UN. Since the fighting began, the city has been cut off from electricity and water and food is in scarce supply. Tshisekedi has been refusing to talk directly to the M23 — insisting on only talking to Rwanda.
Thirteen South African peacekeepers have been killed in the deadly conflict in Goma, leading to heightened tensions between South Africa and Rwanda. On Wednesday night, Kagame said Rwanda was ready for a confrontation with South Africa if necessary, following a claim by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa that M23 fighters and Rwandan forces were responsible for the deaths. In a strongly worded statement directly responding to Ramaphosa on X, Kagame accused him of distorting their private conversations about the volatile situation.
The exchange marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two nations, whose relationship has been fragile for several years. Meanwhile, Angola called for the Congolese and Rwandan leaders to meet urgently in Luanda. The country, which mediated a failed attempt at talks in December before the M23 launched its latest offensive, also called for the resumption of East African Community-led discussions relating to the unrest in eastern DR Congo. It came as Tshisekedi visited Luanda for discussions on the next steps in the Angola-led talks.
Both the EAC-led and the Luanda peace efforts have in the past failed to resolve the crisis. After the sweeping offensive in days, the M23 is consolidating control of Goma and making further advances. Reports say the rebels have not faced any resistance so far. Rwanda does not explicitly deny backing the group, and accuses the Congolese authorities of supporting militias trying to topple the government in Kigali. The UK and Germany are among donor countries that have threatened to withdraw their aid to Rwanda in the wake of the M23 offensive.
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