|
LISTEN TO THIS THE AFRICANA VOICE ARTICLE NOW
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Minova, a vital trading hub in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fell into the hands of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. The development marks a significant advance by the insurgents who now stand just 40 kilometers from Goma, the provincial capital and a crucial urban center near the Rwandan border.
The capture of Minova follows weeks of intense clashes in the mineral-rich region, with the rebels having seized Masisi earlier this month. Despite a counteroffensive launched by Congolese forces to reclaim Masisi, the M23 has continued to make gains, further destabilizing an area already ravaged by conflict and displacement. Over 200,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in recent months due to the escalating violence.
Hospitals in Goma have seen a surge in patients injured during the fighting. Myriam Favier, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in North Kivu, reported that between December 1 and 21, 2024, 100 patients were treated, a figure that more than doubled to 211 between January 1 and 20, 2025. “The influx of wounded reflects the intensifying brutality of the conflict,” Favier told AFP.
Amnesty International recently raised alarms over the dire impact on civilians, highlighting increased attacks on populated areas by both the rebels and government forces in recent weeks. These attacks, the rights group stated, have had catastrophic consequences for local communities.
The M23, a rebel group primarily composed of ethnic Tutsi fighters, emerged in 2012 and reemerged in 2021 after years of dormancy. It has since periodically launched offensives, capturing significant territories in eastern DR Congo. The group accuses the Congolese government of failing to honor a 2009 peace deal, which promised to integrate its fighters into the national army.
Tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda have further complicated the conflict. While Kigali denies backing the M23, it has been accused by both Congolese authorities and the United Nations of supporting the rebels. A 2022 UN report suggested that around 4,000 Rwandan soldiers were operating alongside the M23, a claim Rwanda did not refute.
Despite numerous diplomatic efforts to end the violence, peace talks have yielded little progress. A scheduled meeting between the presidents of Rwanda and DR Congo in December 2024 was abruptly canceled due to unresolved disputes. Earlier hopes for a ceasefire, following a brief lull in fighting in July, were dashed when heavy clashes resumed in October and intensified towards the end of the year.
Minova’s fall brings back fears of a potential rebel march on Goma, a city with a population estimated at one to two million people. Such a scenario could lead to a humanitarian disaster and further strain regional stability.
LEAVE A COMMENT
You must be logged in to post a comment.