Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, fell into M23's hands on January 26, 2025, forcing government forces, its allied militias and some foreign mercenaries to flee.
Upon occupying Goma, M23 fighters found abandoned FARDC military equipment scattered across the streets, including armored vehicles and firearms. Some civilians had fled the city, while others remained indoors, waiting for the situation to unfold.
Witnessing the aftermath of battle was unbearable as the streets were littered with FARDC military vehicles still containing the bodies of fallen soldiers, many of whom had been killed at their posts while those who survived managed to escape.
According to UN estimates, around 3,000 people were killed in the battle for Goma, with 2,500 of them being FARDC soldiers, Wazalendo fighters, and their allies. FARDC soldiers who fled to Rwanda told IGIHE that they had no choice but to cross the border after realizing they were completely surrounded by M23.
'The troops defending Goma were stationed at the airport, but the battle tactics were unclear. How were we supposed to defend the airport when the enemy had already surrounded the entire city and started firing? asked one of the soldiers
'There was no way we could secure a position that was already encircled. As soon as the shooting intensified, we suffered heavy casualties. When I realized we were being gunned down, I knew things had gone terribly wrong,' he added.
As the gunfire subsided in Goma, displaced civilians began returning home, and daily life slowly resumed. In other areas now under M23 control, those previously sheltered in internal displacement camps also started going back to their villages.
For instance, the Kanyarucinya camp has been closed as all its inhabitants returned to their homes in Nyiragongo territory. Reports indicate that M23 facilitated the repatriation of civilians from the Mugunga camp back to Masisi.
Analysts suggest that the UN, which has deployed MONUSCO troops in eastern DRC since 1999, has contributed to regional instability. They argue that the UN is now distorting facts on the ground to justify its continued presence in the country.
Meanwhile, many UN staff members have fled eastern DRC, crossing into Rwanda through the Rubavu border en route to Kinshasa and other locations.
IGIHE
