M23 rebels along with Rwandan army soldiers have invaded Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). North Kivu is a region rich in natural resources and for this reason it is often targeted by the Rwandan-backed M23 militias. Rwanda is also the biggest smuggler of Congolese natural resources with its militias extracting Congolese resources to be then exported from Rwanda.
The conflict is also based on tribal and ethnic divisions. More than seven million people from the DRC have been displaced due to ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country, primarily driven over claims to natural resources. Rwandan President Paul Kagame is a Tutsi who backs the M23 rebels who are also Tutsis. The Tutsis were victims of an attempted genocide by the Hutis in 1994.
13 UN peacekeepers have been killed by M23 rebels since fighting broke out again last week. UN peacekeepers have now completely retreated from Goma as the Congolese army encircles the city. The United States and the United Kingdom have asked their citizens to leave Goma without delay. The DRC has also recalled its diplomats and ambassador from Rwanda.
Newsroom
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