The M23 movement has announced that it has captured the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, after heavy fighting on the outskirts of the city.

 The capture of this important city in North Kivu was announced in the early hours of January 27, 2025, by the M23 political spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

 Kanyuka said on X, “We call on the residents of Goma to remain calm. The liberation of this city has been successfully completed and the situation is now normal.”

 Kanyuka called on DRC soldiers to lay down their weapons and hand them over to the United Nations peacekeeping force, MONUSCO, which is in the eastern DRC.

As the M23 forces entered the city of Goma, Kanyuka asked the DRC FARDC soldiers to assemble at the Stade de l’Unité in Goma before 9:00 a.m., informing them that after this deadline, their fighters would be in control of the city.

In this context, information was released by the Uruguayan troops in the UN peacekeeping mission that since the early hours of the night they had received many FARDC soldiers who had fled the M23 group that had overtaken them.

In the meantime, the M23 has temporarily suspended operations in Lake Kivu and Albert, until it issues another statement to resume them.

The UN and South African forces SADEC helped the DRC to prevent the capture of Goma, but they eventually withdrew after being overwhelmed.

The M23 took Goma two days later and gave the DRC army 48 hours to lay down its arms, in order to avoid turning the city into a battleground and causing problems for its residents.

This deadline was given when since January 23, heavy fighting had been ongoing in the town of Sake and its suburbs and in the outskirts of Goma between the M23 and the DRC army, supported by the Wazalendo and Burundians.

During these clashes, the Governor of North Kivu, Gen. Cirimwami, was killed by the M23 group, as well as the FDLR commander, Gen. Omega, who was a close friend of Cirimwami.

The M23 movement has announced that it has captured the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, after heavy fighting on the outskirts of the city.

 The capture of this important city in North Kivu was announced in the early hours of January 27, 2025, by the M23 political spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

 Kanyuka said on X, “We call on the residents of Goma to remain calm. The liberation of this city has been successfully completed and the situation is now normal.”

 Kanyuka called on DRC soldiers to lay down their weapons and hand them over to the United Nations peacekeeping force, MONUSCO, which is in the eastern DRC.

As the M23 forces entered the city of Goma, Kanyuka asked the DRC FARDC soldiers to assemble at the Stade de l’Unité in Goma before 9:00 a.m., informing them that after this deadline, their fighters would be in control of the city.

In this context, information was released by the Uruguayan troops in the UN peacekeeping mission that since the early hours of the night they had received many FARDC soldiers who had fled the M23 group that had overtaken them.

In the meantime, the M23 has temporarily suspended operations in Lake Kivu and Albert, until it issues another statement to resume them.

The UN and South African forces SADEC helped the DRC to prevent the capture of Goma, but they eventually withdrew after being overwhelmed.

The M23 took Goma two days later and gave the DRC army 48 hours to lay down its arms, in order to avoid turning the city into a battleground and causing problems for its residents.

This deadline was given when since January 23, heavy fighting had been ongoing in the town of Sake and its suburbs and in the outskirts of Goma between the M23 and the DRC army, supported by the Wazalendo and Burundians.

During these clashes, the Governor of North Kivu, Gen. Cirimwami, was killed by the M23 group, as well as the FDLR commander, Gen. Omega, who was a close friend of Cirimwami.