US calls for immediate truce as violence escalates in Goma, DRC

The United States has called for an immediate truce in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the city of Goma struggles under the ongoing assault by M23 rebels. A top United Nations official has warned that the situation is rapidly deteriorating, with hospitals overwhelmed, dead bodies in the streets, and a sharp increase in sexual violence, rape, and looting.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed the US’s deep concern over the escalating violence in Congo during a call with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday, urging for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The State Department has described the situation as deeply troubling.

UN World Food Programme spokesperson, Shelley Thakral

“Roads are blocked, ports are closed, and those crossing Lake Kivu risk their lives in makeshift boats,” said Shelley Thakral, spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme (WFP). Thakral also shared the distressing message of an activist in Goma: “We’re here, we’re hiding. We don’t know who will come to help us.”

UN teams on the ground reported that the violence has displaced around 300,000 people from camps around Goma in just a few days. The humanitarian community has raised alarms about the spiraling crisis, which has left hospitals overwhelmed, and critical infrastructure like electricity, water supplies, and internet services severely disrupted.

“Goma is still offline this morning,” said Jens Laerke from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

 

The violence, which has intensified in recent days, has further strained the region’s already fragile resources and made aid efforts increasingly difficult. UN agencies, including WFP, are on the ground attempting to provide assistance and protection, though the ongoing conflict continues to complicate their efforts.

Congolese refugees fleeing ongoing clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo arrive at the Rugerero transit camp in Gisenyi.Photographer: VIVIEN LATOUR/AFP

The situation in Goma highlights the broader instability in the resource-rich region of eastern DRC, where armed groups, including the M23 rebels reportedly backed by Rwanda, have long fueled violence and displacement.