The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo has reduced its journey to the World Economic Forum in Davos, because the deadly conflict escapes home.
The fighting has intensified in the eastern region of Dr. Kongga since the beginning of the year, with the M23 rebels supported in Rwanda have taken control of several territories than ever.
More than 400,000 people have escaped from their homes since the beginning of this year, because M23 has been progressing in the provincial capital of Gom, say the United Nations.
President Felix Tshisekedi flew from Switzerland to emergency security meetings with top officials.
For the past few weeks, the M23 has captured the cities of Masisi and Minovo in northern Kivu.
More than 200 civilians were killed in areas that captured the M23 on Thursday, local leaders said on Thursday.
And according to the United Nations, two children died after the bombs fell in the camp for displaced people.
Goma fall – a city of over a million lying near the Rwande border – would be the main coup for rebels. They briefly took over the city during the 2012 rebellion, but withdrew after the deal was concluded.
Numerous roads leading to the city are now blocked, which causes concern that food supplies in the city can run out.
“The city of Goma is held in vice, the city is stifled, no more entrances, no more exit … This population is extremely suffering,” he told the BBC, the leader of the local union Bahala Shamava Innocent.
Espeir Ngalukiye, a member of the Opposition Party Ensemble Pour La Republique, is also concerned about food approaches.
“We’re not sure about the crowd,” Mr. Ngalukiye said. “No one who lives in the crowd can tell you that there is no fear.”
The rebels conquered a nearby city on Thursday, according to the United Nations, the United Kingdom and various other sources.
But the Congolian army said he had rejected the attack on Sake, which is only 20 km (12 miles) from Gom.
The inhabitants of Saka and the wider area – many of which were already displaced by the conflict – fled their homes.
People flee by carrying mattresses and other such basics on their backs, while dozens pile up into overcrowded wooden ships.
Thousands of panic families fled to the crowd, where hospitals were flooded with injured civilians.
M23 took control of the huge parts of the Eastern Dr. Congo rich in minerals since 2021. As a consequence, hundreds of thousands of people are displaced.
Last year, it was also afraid that the rebels would occupy Goma. The fights followed in late July, but difficult fights continued in October and worsened at the end of the year.
DR Congo and UN say M23 supported Rwanda. Rwanda authorities do not even confirm or deny it.
On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the current conflict was risky to escalate in the broader regional war.
Mr. Guterres called “all the actors to respect the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo and to stop all forms of support for armed groups,” the statement said.
