A deadly battle in the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, has claimed nearly 3,000 lives over the last week, according to early estimates by the UN peacekeeping operation. The fighting between rebel group M23 and Congolese armed forces resulted in the rebels’ capture of Goma.
Humanitarian workers are struggling to cope with the aftermath, as millions have died in Congo in the past 30 years due to ethnic tensions and fighting over land and mineral resources. The city’s limited burial space is already overwhelmed, with volunteers burying victims in mass graves amid an overwhelming stench.
The conflict has drawn in mercenaries from Eastern Europe and soldiers from allied countries such as Burundi and Uganda. U.N. peacekeepers have been accused of not doing enough to end the fighting.
Rwanda has denied backing M23, but experts say it seeks to exploit mineral resources by using the rebels as a proxy group. The situation remains precarious, with pockets of the city still unreachable to humanitarian agencies.
A local boxer, Jean de Dieu Balezi, known as Kibomango, was among those killed in the fighting. His family is struggling to cope with the loss, and many residents are left feeling vulnerable and unsure of their safety.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/world/africa/congo-m23-rwanda-goma-burials.html