Overview

• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started transferring disarmed Congolese soldiers, police officers, and their families from the MONUSCO base in Goma to Kinshasa.
• This evacuation follows an agreement between the Congolese government, M23 rebels, the UN mission, and the ICRC, which is acting as a neutral intermediary.
• The first convoy of 130 soldiers departed on April 30, with the 1,600-kilometer transfer expected to take several days to complete.
• Approximately 1,400 individuals, mostly soldiers, have been sheltering at the UN base in Goma since the city fell to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in January 2025.
• Despite the evacuation and ongoing truce discussions, sporadic clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces continue in North and South Kivu provinces.