In a major escalation of a long-standing conflict, Congo's security forces are engaged in fierce fighting against Rwanda-backed rebels who have advanced into the key eastern city of Goma. The city of 2 million people has been rocked by gunfire and explosions, with the rebels claiming to have captured Goma on Monday.
Goma serves as a vital regional trade and humanitarian hub, hosting hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. This conflict, fueled by ethnic tensions, has led to one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.
