The United Nations has issued a dire warning about the rapidly deteriorating situation in Goma, the provincial capital of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as M23 rebels intensify their assault on the city. With dead bodies littering the streets, hospitals overwhelmed, and reports of sexual violence and looting on the rise, the next 24 hours could determine the fate of hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the crossfire.
A City Under Siege
Goma, a city of over a million people, is on the brink of collapse. UN agencies on the ground report heavy small arms and mortar fire across the city, with many dead bodies left unattended in the streets. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of wounded, while electricity and water supplies are compromised, and internet services remain cut off. The situation is so dire that even humanitarian warehouses and health facilities have been targeted, leaving aid workers scrambling to provide assistance.
“Roads are blocked, ports are closed, and those crossing Lake Kivu risk their lives in makeshift boats,” said Shelley Thakral, spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme (WFP). “I spoke just moments ago to an activist in Goma, and he told me, ‘We’re here, we’re hiding. We don’t know who will come to help us.’”
Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolding
The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, has expressed deep concerns about the spiraling violence, which has displaced approximately 300,000 people from camps around Goma in just a matter of days. Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson, highlighted the grim reality: “We have reports of rapes committed by fighters, looting of property, including of a humanitarian warehouse, and humanitarian and health facilities being hit.”
The violence has forced WFP to temporarily pause food assistance activities in and around Goma. “The airport and major access roads within the region have been cut off…Depending on the duration of violence, the supply of food into the city could be severely hampered,” Thakral warned. “This is a huge test for Congolese trapped by fighting in Goma and surrounding areas…the next 24 hours will be critical as people start to run low on supplies and will need to see what they can find to survive.”
International Calls for Ceasefire
The international community has rallied to condemn the violence, with the UN Security Council demanding an immediate halt to the M23 rebel offensive and calling for the group to withdraw from territories it has seized. The Council also condemned the presence of “external forces” in eastern DRC, amid reports that Rwandan troops are heavily involved in the offensive.
The Security Council reiterated its support for the UN peacekeeping force in the DRC, MONUSCO, and paid tribute to blue helmets from South Africa, Malawi, and Uruguay who have lost their lives in recent days. However, the situation on the ground remains precarious, with diplomatic efforts struggling to gain traction.
Health Crisis Looms
The highly mobile nature of the emergency has raised fears of disease outbreaks among displaced populations. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the heightened risk of cholera, measles, and malaria spreading rapidly in the overcrowded camps. Dr. Adelheid Marschang, WHO’s Emergency Response Coordinator for the DRC, noted that hospitals are already overwhelmed with hundreds of patients, many suffering from gunshot and shrapnel wounds.
“There are currently hundreds of people in hospital, most admitted with gunshot and shrapnel wounds, with secondary infections becoming a health risk,” Dr. Marschang said. She added that WHO had sent critical medical supplies for trauma and emergency care, infection prevention, and cholera treatment before Goma airport closed on Saturday. However, the ongoing violence has made it increasingly difficult to deliver aid and track diseases.
Sexual Violence on the Rise
One of the most alarming aspects of the crisis is the surge in sexual violence against women and girls. WHO and other UN agencies have reported an increase in rape cases, with women being targeted while searching for firewood or fleeing their camps. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, with maternal death rates already high even before the latest escalation of violence.
“Sadly, hospitals and health workers are in danger. We are hearing reports of health workers being shot at, and patients, including babies, being caught in the crossfire,” Dr. Marschang said. “Attacks on healthcare violate the rules of war. Healthcare must be protected at all times.”
A Region in Perpetual Crisis
The current violence is just the latest chapter in a long history of conflict in eastern DRC, a resource-rich region that has been plagued by insecurity for decades. Even before the latest escalation, some 5.1 million people had already been displaced, forced to live in overcrowded camps with little food and no security. The situation has been exacerbated by the presence of armed groups vying for control of the region’s vast mineral wealth.
The UN and its partners have been working tirelessly to provide assistance, but the scale of the crisis is overwhelming. “This is a huge test for Congolese trapped by fighting in Goma and surrounding areas…the next 24 hours will be critical as people start to run low on supplies and will need to see what they can find to survive,” Thakral said.
What Lies Ahead?
As the clock ticks, the international community is watching closely to see if diplomatic efforts can bring an end to the violence. For now, the focus remains on providing immediate assistance to those in need and protecting civilians from further harm. However, with roads blocked, ports closed, and the airport shut down, delivering aid has become a monumental challenge.
The next 24 hours will be critical in determining whether Goma can avoid a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe. For the hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the city, the stakes could not be higher. As one activist in Goma put it, “We’re here, we’re hiding. We don’t know who will come to help us.”
