The evacuation of hundreds of Congolese troops and police officers trapped in UN bases in Goma, following the city’s capture by M23 rebels, began on Wednesday, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The ICRC confirmed it is accompanying several convoys transporting the disarmed personnel and their families from one of the UN bases in Goma to the capital, Kinshasa.
The operation follows extensive negotiations involving the United Nations, the Congolese government, and the M23 rebel group.
According to sources from the UN and Congolese security services, the rebels opposed a proposal to airlift the personnel from Goma’s airport, which has been closed since January.
A senior M23 figure told AFP that the group would not allow flights from the airport.
The trapped soldiers and police had taken shelter in facilities belonging to the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO after M23 forces took control of Goma earlier this year. As of early April, around 1,500 Congolese personnel remained inside these compounds.
One Congolese officer, speaking to AFP by phone, expressed fear over the land evacuation, citing mistrust in M23’s assurances of safe passage through their territory.
In its statement, the ICRC said the evacuation would unfold over several days, stressing the complexities and risks involved. All parties involved have committed to ensuring the safety of those in the convoys.
Eastern DR Congo has long endured chronic conflict, but tensions have escalated sharply in recent months due to the renewed offensive by M23 rebels — a group that the international community accuses Rwanda of supporting, though Kigali continues to deny any involvement.
