
The United Nations Security Council on Sunday called on M23 rebel forces to cease their offensive and retreat from Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Council also demanded the immediate withdrawal of “external forces” operating in the region.
The 15-member Council issued the statement just hours after the Rwanda-backed M23 group claimed to have seized Goma following a rapid advance. Thousands of civilians have fled the fighting, heightening fears of a broader regional conflict.
Reuters was unable to independently verify whether Goma was under full rebel control.
The Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Sunday to address the escalating crisis and quickly reached consensus on a statement condemning the situation.
The Council urged both Rwanda and the DRC to resume peace talks and address issues stemming from the presence of Rwanda Defence Forces in eastern Congo, as well as Congolese support for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
M23, which claims to protect Tutsi interests, has clashed with ethnic Hutu militias such as the FDLR, a group formed by Hutus who fled Rwanda after the 1994 genocide that killed more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
During the meeting, the United States, France, and Britain accused Rwanda of backing M23’s offensive. Rwanda has consistently denied the allegations.
The Security Council condemned “the ongoing flagrant disregard for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, including the unauthorized presence in the Eastern DRC of external forces,” and demanded their immediate withdrawal. The statement did not specify which forces were involved.
Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea explicitly criticized Rwanda, accusing it of using GPS jamming and spoofing to support M23 operations. This concern was echoed in the Council’s statement.
“The members of the Security Council are deeply alarmed by continued occurrences of GPS jamming and spoofing activities in support of M23 operations in North Kivu, which pose imminent risks to civil aviation safety and negatively impact humanitarian aid delivery to vulnerable populations,” the statement read.
The situation in eastern Congo has triggered renewed international focus, with growing fears of a protracted conflict that could destabilize the wider region.