Rebels from DRC Takeover City, Raising Fears of War

A group of rebels called M23, backed by Rwanda, has claimed they've taken the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They've been pushing forward quickly, frightening locals and making thousands flee their homes. This could reignite a larger war in the region. Lawrence Kanyuka, the M23 spokesperson, asked everyone in Goma to stay calm, saying the city was now under their control. It's not clear how much of Goma is controlled by the rebels right now. But people in the city say they can see rebel fighters in the center. There's been gunfire near the airport, the city center, and the border with Rwanda. The rebels gave government soldiers until 3 am on Monday to surrender. About 100 Congolese soldiers handed over their weapons to UN peacekeepers from Uruguay.

The UN peacekeepers and their families are leaving Goma and going to Rwanda for safety. The eastern part of DRC is a volatile area with many rebel and militia groups, all stemming from the wars after Rwanda's 1994 genocide. M23 is just one of many Tutsi-led rebel groups. On Sunday, the UN's special representative, Bintou Keita, told the UN Security Council that even with the peacekeepers' help, M23 and Rwandan forces entered a neighborhood in Goma, causing panic. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, DRC's foreign minister, said Rwanda was openly attacking DRC. Rwanda's UN ambassador didn't confirm or deny this but said the crisis could have been avoided if DRC had shown a real commitment to peace. M23 says they're trying to protect the Tutsi people in DRC. They briefly took Goma in 2012 and withdrew after international donors cut aid to Rwanda. They've come back, with more support from Rwanda, and their actions are making a big humanitarian crisis even worse. Nearly a third of the people in North Kivu state are already displaced.

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