Rwanda-backed rebels have seized control of large parts of eastern Congo's largest city, including its airport, according to the United Nations. The city of Goma, which has been embroiled in a decades-long conflict, experienced relative calm early Wednesday morning after a tumultuous day marked by fleeing residents seeking refuge along roadsides amidst missile attacks and a surge of casualties flooding overwhelmed hospitals.
While government forces still maintain control in certain areas of Goma, reports from residents indicate that the M23 rebel group has established dominance over much of the city. The M23 rebels, one of numerous armed factions competing for influence in the mineral-rich eastern Congo, declared their capture of Goma on Monday following a sustained offensive. The rebel incursion into Goma resulted in a grim scene of fatalities strewn across the streets and triggered a mass exodus of hundreds of thousands of already displaced individuals.
