Goma (Congo) Jan 27 (LaPresse/AP) – Rwandan-backed M23 rebels said they had taken control of the largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Goma. The group's announcement came minutes before a 48-hour ultimatum imposed on the Congolese government to surrender army weapons was due to expire. In the early hours of the morning, gunfire was heard throughout the city, according to two aid workers who were on the spot. The rebels called on Goma residents to ‘remain calm’ and members of the Congolese armed forces to gather in the central stadium. The M23 offensive in the heart of the mineral-rich region risks drastically worsening one of Africa's longest-running conflicts and causing new displacements among civilians. According to a UN report, more than a third of the population of North Kivu province, where Goma is located, is currently displaced and the capture of Goma is likely to exacerbate the situation. In a message on X, the Congolese government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, called for the protection of civilians and stated that the country is ‘in a war situation where the news is constantly changing’.
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