Rebels kill DR Congo governor as fighting intensifies
4 min readFighting between M23 rebels and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) army has intensified in recent days, culminating in the death of Maj Gen Peter Cirimwami, the military governor of North Kivu. Cirimwami was killed on Thursday while visiting the frontline, where M23 fighters shot him. Despite being airlifted to the capital, Kinshasa, for treatment, the army confirmed that he later succumbed to his injuries, according to army spokesperson Gen Sylvain Ekenge.
The conflict, which has been escalating since the beginning of 2025, has seen M23 rebels seize more territory than ever before, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. More than 400,000 people have been displaced since the start of the year, according to the UN, with many fleeing to the city of Goma, which is now under severe threat. As M23 rebels advanced on Goma, they captured the towns of Masisi and Minova. Over 200 civilians have been killed in areas taken by M23, with local leaders reporting the deaths.
The situation is especially dire in the city of Goma, which is close to the Rwandan border and home to over a million people. The UN reports that two children were killed in a camp for displaced people due to bombings. The increasing violence prompted Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi to cut short his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and return to the DRC to hold urgent security meetings.
In response to the ongoing threat, President Tshisekedi instructed the military to “track down the enemy” and to push them away from Goma, which is considered a strategic and symbolic city. The fall of Goma to the rebels would be a significant blow for the government, as the M23 briefly took control of the city during a rebellion in 2012 before withdrawing following a diplomatic agreement.
Currently, roads leading into Goma have been blocked, raising concerns that the city could face food shortages. Local union leader Bahala Shamavu Innocent described the situation as dire, saying, “The town of Goma is held in a vice, the town is suffocated… this population is suffering enormously.” Meanwhile, opposition member Espoir Ngalukiye added that the residents are living in constant fear, as nobody in Goma can feel truly safe.
International concern is mounting as several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and France, have advised their citizens to leave Goma immediately due to the growing security risks.
Maj Gen Cirimwami, who was appointed as North Kivu’s military governor in 2023, had been tasked with addressing the region’s ongoing conflicts. However, his tenure had been controversial due to his previous collaboration with the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), an armed group linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have long accused the DRC of working with the FDLR, which has fueled tensions between the two nations.
On Thursday, M23 rebels also captured the town of Sake, just 12 miles from Goma, though the DRC army later claimed to have repelled the attack. Despite the army’s efforts, thousands of residents have fled Sake and surrounding areas, many of whom had already been displaced by the ongoing violence. People are fleeing with whatever they can carry, including mattresses, and some are escaping by overcrowded boats. The influx of refugees has further strained Goma’s already overwhelmed hospitals.
Since 2021, M23 has gained control of vast areas of eastern DRC, which are rich in minerals. This has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, worsening the humanitarian crisis. While fighting had subsided briefly in July 2024, violence escalated again in the fall, particularly towards the end of the year. The M23’s continued offensive on Goma and other areas has led the UN and DRC to accuse Rwanda of providing support to the rebels, an allegation that Rwanda neither confirms nor denies. UN experts estimate that Rwanda has between 3,000 and 4,000 troops operating alongside M23 rebels in eastern DRC.
The situation in the DRC continues to be a major concern for regional stability. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the conflict risks escalating into a broader regional war. Guterres called on all parties to respect the sovereignty of the DRC and cease supporting armed groups, urging a halt to the violence and an end to external interference.
The escalating conflict in eastern DRC highlights the complexity of the situation, with local, national, and regional actors all playing a part in the ongoing violence. As the M23 continues its advance, the international community remains on edge, watching closely as the situation threatens to destabilize the entire region.
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