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UN: Thousands displaced around Goma as M23 appears to have consolidated control
Summary
UN officials said thousands of civilians have fled or remain displaced around Goma, North Kivu, and urged reopening Goma airport to allow evacuations and humanitarian deliveries; UN spokesperson and field coordinators said reports indicate the M23 holds effective control of Goma.
United Nations officials said thousands of civilians are displaced around Goma, in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and urged immediate reopening of Goma airport to allow evacuations, medical deliveries and humanitarian reinforcements.
The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for the DRC, Bruno LeMarquis, called for “the urgent reopening of the airport in Goma,” saying the airport “is a lifeline and that the survival of thousands of people depends on its reopening” to facilitate evacuations and deliveries, according to the UN briefing.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the briefing that figures remain difficult to verify, but reported significant movements out of displacement sites along the Canarun Sinha Road toward Rucuru and additional movements toward Minova. OCHA and partners have been visiting displacement sites outside Goma to assess conditions; those assessments are ongoing.
At the daily briefing, the UN spokesperson also said there are reports that the M23 rebel group has “consolidated its control over Goma.” When asked whether M23 continued offensives toward Bukavu, the spokesperson said UN reporting did not show M23 moving closer to Bukavu but did note heavy fighting in parts of South Kivu between M23 and the Congolese Armed Forces.
The briefing did not supply independently verifiable casualty totals or precise counts of displaced people in Goma itself. The UN’s public comments stressed the immediate humanitarian needs and the operational importance of restoring airport access to support life-saving evacuations and supply lines.
UN staff said more detailed, on-the-ground figures and security assessments will be provided as field teams complete their missions and as briefers join from the region.
