2025 Goma offensive

Goma has a population of around two million and is the provincial capital of North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), being the largest city in the province. A United Nations report in 2024 noted that Rwanda's military assistance had been "critical" to M23's campaign. briefly occupied Goma for several days during its 2012 campaign before withdrawing from the city because of international pressure on Rwanda. The group was defeated militarily in 2013 with the assistance of the UN's Force Intervention Brigade and lost most of its territory in the eastern DRC before having a resurgence in 2022. According to the UN, between April and December 2024 the M23 rebel group has made $800 million in revenue related to coltan mining. M23 and Rwandan president Paul Kagame claim that the group represents the interests of Tutsis, an ethnic minority in the DRC, which had previously been the target of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Negotiations mediated by Angola between the DRC and Rwanda led to the signing of a ceasefire agreement in August 2024, but the deal broke down as fighting resumed with M23 on 20 October 2024. Known as the Luanda process, the Angolan-mediated talks had the support of the European Union and the United States, but a planned summit between Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame on 15 December, aimed at discussing the neutralization of the FDLR, This refusal raised suspicions that Rwanda's actions in the DRC were motivated more by economic interests, particularly in the Kivu region's mineral wealth, rather than genuine security concerns. That month the fighting in the Kivu region between Congolese security forces and M23 escalated. 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 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. Among these, 34,000 went to already overcrowded refugee camps in and outside of Goma. == Offensive ==

January 23–25: Initial advance to Goma 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. This allowed them to cut off its main supply line and removed the last FARDC stronghold before Goma. The Rwandan-backed group also controlled territory to the north, and began its offensive against the city itself on the same day. the DRC officially severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda as the fighting escalted, with two South African peacekeepers being killed and allegedly a Rwandan sniper killing Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, 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. Rwanda evacuated its only diplomat in the Congolese capital, and the DRC also recalled all of its diplomatic staff from Rwanda. UN sources have reported that the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has de facto operational control over M23. M23 closed the airspace around Goma International Airport. A Romanian private military company had been hired by the government to provide training for the Congolese army, and was also used to guard important locations outside Goma. The FARDC fought off the initial M23 attack on January 25. M23 claimed that the city was under their control. On January 27, M23 claimed the capture of the city. However, fighting continued in several parts and "tens of thousands" of people were displaced. More than 4,000 prisoners escaped from Muzenze prison. It was reported that hundreds of female inmates were raped and burned alive during the mass jailbreak from Goma's prison. 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. Some Congolese soldiers changed out of their uniforms and surrendered at the Rwandan border or took refuge in the peacekeeping bases. 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, 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 the control of Goma was still ongoing as of early January 28. FARDC units were present in the city center, where the situation was unclear because of continuing combat, while M23 appeared to control western parts. The airport has become the largest pocket of government troops in the city. According to a Congolese government minister, the FARDC controlled 80 percent of Goma, while the rebels and Rwandan troops have been pushed to the outskirts of the city. That morning, a group of foreign officials (with assistance from an American scientist and pilot) managed to acquire and fly an aircraft out of Goma International Airport ahead of the facility's capture later in the day, where 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. Civilian casualties were reported to be at over 100 killed and 1,000 wounded. That evening, Tshisekedi appointed Brigadier General Evariste Somo as military governor of North Kivu and promoted him to the rank of major general, succeeding Peter Cirimwami who had been killed several days earlier. Most of the city was controlled by M23 as of early January 29, About 280 Romanian mercenaries hired by the DRC who had surrendered left the country via Rwanda, after being taken into custody by the Rwanda Defense Force. On January 30, the remaining FARDC and Wazalendo troops that had not surrendered continued to fight against M23 in the northern Goma area, especially in the Turunga village of the Munigi groupement, where heavy and light weapon use was reported. Later that day the fighting in Goma had mostly stopped, including in the northern area. == Aftermath ==

With the fall of Goma nearly all of North Kivu is under M23 control. on January 29. A senior Rwandan diplomat said that the rebel coalition will continue its offensive against the Congolese government. Panic among Bukavu's residents was reported on January 30 amid the news of the rebel advance in South Kivu, while troops departed the FARDC bases there to go to the front line further north. On January 30, electricity and telecommunications were restored to parts of Goma by M23, which also prepared hundreds of administrators to run the city, and crossings at the nearby Rwandan border were reopened. Some traffic resumed on the city's roads, and the roads that connect Goma to the towns of Sake, Minova, and Masisi, were reportedly reopened. On January 31, FARDC major general Evariste Somo took office as governor of North Kivu in a ceremony in Beni, one of the towns in the province that is not controlled by rebels. He also announced that the provincial capital has been temporarily moved from Goma to Beni due to the Rwandan-backed M23 takeover. Since the start of the Goma offensive, attacks in the area of Beni by another group, the Allied Democratic Forces militia, have also increased. Nearly a week later, following the M23's consolidation over Goma, the AFC announced a new regional administration in North Kivu, stating there was "a need and urgency to organize the territorial administration in the Democratic Republic of Congo", which would bring about stability and organisation in the province. In addition, claims of a forced recruitment process occurring in Goma by the M23 were made, which were firmly denied by the AFC. == Analysis ==

The fall of Goma represents the biggest escalation in the Kivu conflict since the brief occupation of it by M23 in 2012 and has led the current M23 offensive to be compared to the First and Second Congo Wars of the 1990s and early 2000s. These earlier conflicts, which also originated in the eastern DRC, saw Goma as a significant epicenter. Political analyst Jason Stearns noted that while ethnic tensions and violence against Banyamulenge have existed for some time, these tensions did not significantly escalate before the resurgence of M23 in 2021. Instead, the group's return exacerbated communal divisions, as M23 expanded its goals beyond combating the FDLR to aiming for the overthrow of the Congolese government. as a pretext for their actions in the DRC. In particular, the refusal of Rwandan President Paul Kagame to attend the Luanda Summit in December 2024, which was meant to discuss a plan to neutralize the FDLR, raised suspicions that Rwanda's motivations might be driven more by economic interests than security concerns. Unlike in 2012, the M23 appears to be larger and better trained and equipped, more like a professional army rather than a ragtag militia. Foreign Policy wrote that if M23 went on to capture Bukavu it would be an even more significant victory because no rebel group had taken that city in decades. The findings, submitted to the United Nations Security Council in May and made public on 2 July 2025, revealed that at least 6,000 Rwandan soldiers were deployed on Congolese territory to bolster M23 operations in North and South Kivu. Rwandan support extended beyond troop deployment to include military training provided in Rwandan-based camps, logistical backing, and the supply of sophisticated weaponry. This included Turkish-manufactured Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, Chinese short range air defense missile systems, and electronic warfare equipment such as jamming devices. Notably, these assets were reportedly used in the destruction of a MONUSCO armored vehicle near Sake on 25 January, an incident the United Nations characterized as a direct provocation against its peacekeeping mission. The report also attributed a deadly missile strike, which resulted in the death of one UN peacekeeper and the injury of four others, to a Rwandan military position rather than merely acting through a proxy force. Following the seizure of Goma, a partial withdrawal of Rwandan forces was observed, though others were redeployed to Bukavu to support continued military operations. The investigation also cited extensive recruitment efforts by M23 (which targets former FARDC soldiers, Wazalendo fighters, ex-Rwandan troops, and diaspora members), through voluntary enlistment and coercion. The scale and coordination of operations led the U.N. panel to conclude that Rwanda exercised strategic command and control over M23. This was especially evident in M23's April 2025 withdrawal from the mineral-rich Walikale Territory, located west of Goma. The retreat, reportedly ordered by Kigali, accentuated Rwanda's decisive role in dictating rebel strategy, including decisions on territorial occupation and relinquishment. == Reactions ==

Domestic The Congolese government rejected an offer by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 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," On the same day, DRC president Félix Tshisekedi agreed to attend a peace summit hosted by Kenya. On January 28 the FARDC issued a statement that it is still "fully committed to restoring the authority of the State, neutralizing armed groups and ensuring the protection of the population." and he was not present at the virtual meeting that was held. Instead, he planned to give his first televised address to the nation that evening. In his address Tshisekedi vowed to give a "vigorous and coordinated response," accused Rwanda of violating "the principle of the Charter of the United Nations" by sending "thousands" of troops onto Congolese soil, and called for a national mobilization by the state and society to support the war effort, encouraging young people to enlist in the FARDC "massively." He also described M23 as "puppets" of Rwanda and said that the international community's response to the conflict "borders on complicity." This was his first public comment on the situation since the start of the battle in Goma. On January 30, Deputy Prime Minister for National Defense and Veterans Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita said in a speech addressed to the troops that there will be no negotiations with M23 and called on the army to fulfill its constitutional mission to defend the borders of the country. The March 23 Movement told all of the FARDC defending the city to lay down their arms and surrender to avoid any bloodshed. After the capture of the city, on January 30 Corneille Nangaa told the press that M23 will administer Goma, facilitate humanitarian aid for the population, and intends to continue its campaign on to the national capital Kinshasa, which is to the west, to "take power and lead the country." He also said that the rebel coalition is willing to negotiate with the government. After the start of the offensive demonstrations took place in other parts of the country to show support for the Congolese military and opposition to M23, notably in Kinshasa; Bukavu, South Kivu Province; and Kikwit, Kwilu Province. Congolese government officials in at least six of the 26 provinces of the DRC encouraged people to protest against Rwanda. The French embassy was set on fire by protesters, while the Rwandan, French, Belgian and U.S. 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. 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]." On January 26, the Rwandan representative to the UN said that the Congolese military violated the previous ceasefire agreement and that the presence of foreign mercenaries poses a threat to Rwanda. The Rwandan ambassador-at-large for the Great Lakes region, Vincent Karega, said that the M23 offensive "will continue" into the DRC's South Kivu province, on January 29, and added it is "possible" that M23 will continue all the way to the capital Kinshasa, though it was unlikely. The African Christian Democratic Party in South Africa released a statement that they were "deeply concerned" about the dire situation for South African troops stationed in the city after 13 of their peacekeepers were already killed, with the remaining likely not having access to proper equipment or support to continue fighting. They further called for a ceasefire and diplomatic negotiations to begin for the parties involved, for all South African peacekeepers stationed abroad to return home until they are assured to have the necessary resources to fulfil their duties, and for the President and other members of the government to better address the situation, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa had a phone conversation with Kagame regarding a ceasefire and later said that his country's presence in eastern Congo is not meant to be seen as a "declaration of war against any country or state." But the South African minister of defense, Angie Motshekga, stated that the M23 offensive against South African positions, resulting in the death of 13 South African peacekeepers, was only alleviated after President Ramaphosa told the Rwandan government that continued attacks would be interpreted by South Africa as a "declaration of war" by Rwanda. President Ramphosa later also wrote on X that the South African peacekeepers had been killed by the "Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) militia." This led to a reaction from President Kagame, who replied to him and wrote that he and other officials had lied, that there had been no warning to Rwanda during their during their conversation, and that the RDF is not a militia. Kagame then claimed that South Africa is not in a position to mediate because the peacekeepers in the region were working with "genocidal armed groups" that threaten Rwanda. prompting the deputy head of MONUSCO, Vivian van de Perre, to state the Angolan-mediated peace process needed to be restarted. Kenya called for both the DRC and M23 to agree to a ceasefire. The German government suspended negotiations with Rwanda regarding foreign aid on January 28. Rubio called for an immediate ceasefire on January 28, after a phone conversation with Kagame, and for all parties to respect sovereign territorial integrity. In response to the killing of a Uruguayan peacekeeper, Uruguay condemned the "targeted attack" on UN soldiers, labeling them as war crimes. == Notes ==