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UN reports tense but calmer situation in Goma; three peacekeepers killed in recent assault
Summary
UN spokesperson said the situation in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, remains volatile though calmer than at the peak of recent clashes; three UN peacekeepers were killed and dozens injured during the assault by the M23, the UN said.
The United Nations said the situation in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, remains tense but somewhat calmer after recent clashes, and confirmed three UN peacekeepers were killed in the most recent assault.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the secretary-general has appointed Lieutenant General Ulysses de Mesquita Gomez of Brazil as the new force commander for the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dujarric said the mission is prioritizing protection of its personnel and civilians sheltering on UN premises and plans to send patrols to assess routes and carry out resupplies.
The mission reported “continued sporadic shooting” inside Goma and clashes in surrounding areas, including in Sake northwest of the city. Dujarric said supermarkets were closed in Kinshasa and that some main roads were empty amid calls for protests, though he characterized the capital as calm.
Dujarric named the three peacekeepers killed as Private Rodolfo Cipriano Alvarez Suarez of Uruguay, age 39; Private Mokote Joseph Mobe, age 33; and Private Andres Tishido Mabele, age 30, the latter two from South Africa. He said the total number of UN peacekeepers injured since the most recent assault by the M23 now stands at 22 and reiterated that “attacks against UN peacekeepers are not only unacceptable, but they also may constitute a war crime.”
Vivian Van Der Peyre, the deputy special representative for the UN peacekeeping mission in Goma, briefed council members and warned the violence had caused “massive displacement” and worsened an “already dire humanitarian protection situation.” The mission reported looting of humanitarian warehouses, more than 2,000 injuries from weapons and explosive shrapnel since the escalation, bodies remaining in the streets, and water and electricity cut off since Jan. 26. Dujarric called for the swift resumption of basic services and protection of humanitarian facilities, and said the airport in Goma remained closed.
Dujarric said the border with Rwanda is open and additional humanitarian teams entered the area. He also noted the mission’s call to resume the Luanda process as urgent to pursue de-escalation and to avert what the briefers described as a broader regional threat.
