Amnesty International has issued a poignant plea for an immediate halt to “deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians” amidst escalating violence between government forces and M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The resurgence of intense fighting around the city of Goma has resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 35 civilians, with thousands more ensnared in the crossfire and in dire need of humanitarian assistance, according to Amnesty’s reports.
The conflict, reportedly fueled by allegations of support from Rwanda to the rebels, has precipitated a grave humanitarian crisis, displacing over one million individuals in and around Goma.
The use of heavy artillery and mortar shells targeting civilian areas has elicited condemnation from organisations like the Center for Civilians in Conflict, while France and the United States have urged Rwanda to cease its support for the M23 rebels.
However, Rwanda has vehemently denied these accusations, asserting its defensive measures to safeguard its territory, even as the M23 insurgency continues to gain ground in Nord Kivu province.
With Goma effectively isolated from the country’s interior and the presence of various armed groups, including foreign entities and UN peacekeepers, the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire remains dire.
As the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo escalates, international calls for peace and the protection of civilians grow increasingly fervent.