M23 forces seize Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

M23 forces seized control of most of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on 27 January 2025 after advancing through North Kivu. Fighting with Congolese forces and allied groups reached the provincial capital as hundreds of thousands of displaced people were already sheltering nearby.

United Nations experts and multiple governments have documented Rwandan military support for M23, which Rwanda has denied or framed through its security concerns. Attribution to Rwandan backing does not make every Rwandan citizen or official a combatant and should rest on documented units and assistance.

The capture caused deaths, looting, prison escapes, disruption of water and electricity and pressure on hospitals. Exact casualty figures were difficult to verify during combat. UN peacekeepers and regional forces had different mandates and positions and should not be collapsed into one belligerent.

M23 says it protects Congolese Tutsi communities and opposes threats including the FDLR. The Congolese government describes it as a proxy force. Those stated rationales do not excuse attacks on civilians, forced recruitment or other violations alleged against armed actors.

This record marks the shift of effective control over Goma, not a legal transfer of sovereignty or the end of fighting. Later advances, negotiations and withdrawal claims require separate evidence. The city's capture must also remain distinct from the broader, decades-long conflict in eastern Congo.

Goma sits beside the Rwandan border and is a major humanitarian and commercial centre, so control affected supply routes far beyond the front line. That geography explains strategic importance without changing the city's status as Congolese territory.