UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Friday over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the advances of the armed group March 23 Movement (M23).

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Guterres warned that the M23’s advance poses an immediate threat to Goma, the capital of North Kivu, a strategic city of two million residents that was previously occupied by the group in 2012. In its latest offensive, the M23 has seized the strategic town of Minova in South Kivu and is currently engaged in intense fighting in Sake, just 20 kilometers from Goma.

The Secretary-General highlighted that the situation is having “devastating effects on the civilian population” and increasing the risk of a broader regional conflict.

Guterres called on the M23 to halt its offensive and withdraw from occupied areas, emphasizing the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC. He also urged the provision of humanitarian access to aid affected populations and ensure the protection of human rights in conflict zones.

The statement further expressed concern over reports of Rwandan troop involvement in the conflict and their alleged support for the M23, claims that the UN has corroborated in recent reports.

Founded in 2012, the M23 emerged as a rebel faction from the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) after accusing the government of failing to honor a 2009 peace agreement. While the group claims to defend the rights of the Congolese Tutsi community, it has been accused of massacres, sexual violence, child exploitation, and the pursuit of control over natural resources like gold, coltan, and tin.

Experts, including Kenyan scholar Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, argue that the conflict extends beyond ethnic tensions, as often portrayed, and is deeply tied to the control of the DRC’s vast natural wealth. Lumumba also noted that colonial-era borders imposed by Belgium and Germany have exacerbated these tensions.

The violence has displaced thousands of people and led to widespread violations of international humanitarian law. Testimonies collected by the UN detail killings, sexual violence, and the forced recruitment of children by the M23.

Guterres concluded by urging an immediate cessation of hostilities and the resumption of negotiations to establish a durable ceasefire. He called for addressing the historical roots of the conflict to secure stability in the region.

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