Jan 30, (V7N) - Amid mounting violence in eastern DR Congo, President Félix Tshisekedi has pledged a “vigorous” military response to counter the advance of the M23 rebel group, which has seized large areas, including most of Goma.

The weeks-long offensive by the Rwanda-backed group has sparked calls for urgent diplomatic talks, with warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis. On Wednesday, M23 fighters expanded their offensive into South Kivu, capturing new districts without resistance.

In his first public address since the escalation, Tshisekedi condemned the international community’s “inaction,” warning that the advance of Rwanda-backed forces risks a broader conflict in the Great Lakes region.

"Your silence and inaction... are an affront to the DRC," he said in a televised speech.

The Congolese army has yet to comment on the rebels’ latest advances. However, reports indicate heavy casualties from the fighting, with more than 100 killed and nearly 1,000 wounded, according to hospital estimates.

Despite pressure for peace talks, Tshisekedi refused to meet Rwandan President Paul Kagame at a regional crisis summit. The East African Community urged the DRC to engage directly with M23, while Angola pushed for urgent mediation between Kinshasa and Kigali.

Tshisekedi traveled to Angola on Wednesday for further discussions, as international bodies including the UN, US, and European Union renewed calls for Rwanda to withdraw its forces from Congolese territory.

However, Rwanda’s ambassador-at-large, Vincent Karega, dismissed these calls, stating that the M23 offensive “will continue” and could extend beyond eastern DRC—even to Kinshasa.

The situation in Goma remains dire. Residents face severe shortages of food, water, and medicine, while power outages have left them “cut off from the world.”

After days of clashes, M23 fighters and Rwandan soldiers were the only armed forces seen in downtown Goma, with reports of widespread looting. Captured Congolese soldiers and pro-Kinshasa militiamen were paraded through the city center.

The UN estimates that half a million people have been displaced this month alone.

Meanwhile, protests erupted in Kinshasa on Tuesday, with angry demonstrators attacking foreign embassies over perceived inaction. In response, authorities banned further demonstrations and imposed security restrictions.

Amid growing instability, the US ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave the DRC. Belgium also advised its citizens against traveling to the country, and Brussels Airlines suspended flights to Kinshasa.

The DRC, rich in minerals like gold, cobalt, and coltan—critical for global electronics—has accused Rwanda of fueling the conflict to exploit its natural resources. UN reports support these claims, citing Kigali’s “de facto control” over M23. Rwanda denies any involvement, insisting its objective is to neutralize the DRC-based FDLR militia, which it accuses of harboring perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

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