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A heavily armed Rwandan-backed militia marched into the strategic city of Goma in eastern Congo on Monday, seizing control of most of the regional hub in defiance of United Nations demands for its withdrawal.
Goma, a crowded city of two million residents and several hundred thousand refugees near the Rwandan border, has been under siege by the M23 militia and its Rwandan allies for the past year. The M23 offensive, including frequent attacks on civilians, has forced more than a million people to flee from their homes across the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with many seeking shelter in Goma.
Goma is the capital of the conflict-battered North Kivu province, whose minerals are critical to much of the world’s technology. By capturing Goma, the rebels and their Rwandan allies would gain control of key border crossings, transport routes and a major airport – all of which are crucial to the lucrative mineral trade.
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