Overview

• The M23 rebel group has taken control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, and announced plans to march to Kinshasa to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi's government.
• The United Nations reports over 700 deaths and 2,800 injuries in recent fighting, with hundreds of thousands displaced and reports of severe human rights abuses, including sexual violence.
• The M23, backed by Rwanda according to UN investigations, seeks control over resource-rich regions, exacerbating tensions in an area already plagued by decades of conflict.
• President Tshisekedi has called for national resistance, including the mobilization of civilians, while criticizing the international community's perceived inaction and Rwanda's alleged involvement.
• The humanitarian situation is dire, with disrupted access to food, water, and medical services in Goma, as international actors urge an immediate ceasefire and peaceful resolution.