The M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo said on Sunday, January 26, “the airspace over Goma is now closed,” after government forces used the airport in the city for military purposes. The rebels have threatened to march on the city if the government coalition in Goma city do not “lay down” their weapons. ALSO READ: Panic spreads in Goma as M23 rebels threaten to march on city “The coalition forces supporting the Kinshasa regime are using Goma airport to load bombs that are killing the civilian population,” said Lawrence Kanyuka, the spokesperson of the rebel group, which is a member of the Congo River Alliance (AFC). “AFC/M23 calls on all foreign armed forces present in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the Burundian National Defense Force (FDNB), SAMIDRC, Private Military Companies (MPC) Ajemira, to immediately stop killing our people and leave Congolese soil.” ALSO READ: Rwanda condemns MONUSCO’s use of Nazi Germany language in eastern DR Congo conflict The Congolese government coalition also include genocidal FDLR militia and local groups known as Wazalendo. MONUSCO, the United Nations mission in the country, also fight alongside the government forces. The government has suffered losses in recent days, including the death of North Kivu Provincial Governor, Peter Cirimwami, who was killed on the battlefield in Sake, a town located about 20 kilomitres from near Goma. The rebel group have captured towns in the conflict-ridden region, the latest being Minova, which is located in South Kivu province. Kanyuka said on Saturday the rebels had issued an ’48-hour ultimatum” for members of the Congolese army in Goma and its surroundings to lay down their weapons. “The city of Goma must never be used as a battlefield, and our organisation will not tolerate any armed group engaging in conflict against the civilian population.” The war between a government coalition and the M23 has been going on since 2021. M23 seized Goma in 2012 and controlled it for over a week, before its fighters were defeated and fled, only to resurface in November 2021. Initiative to bring the conflict to an end have failed as the Congolese government to negotiate with the rebels.
