This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2l07e550qko

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Rebels kill 13 foreign peacekeepers in DR Congo DR Congo rebels close in on key city as 13 peacekeepers killed
(about 20 hours later)
Members of an international peacekeeping force have been pushing back a rebel advance on the Congolese city of Goma UN Secretary General António Guterres has called on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo's territory and on the M23 rebel group to stop its advance on the eastern city of Goma amid intense fighting.
Thirteen soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been killed in clashes with rebels from the M23 group. At a UN Security Council emergency meeting on Sunday, Congo's foreign minister accused Rwanda of declaring war by sending its troops over the border to help the rebels.
The South African military said nine of its soldiers died helping to push back a rebel advance on the city of Goma, in eastern DR Congo, while three Malawians and a Uruguayan were also killed. Rwanda's representative did not deny backing M23.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken to the leaders of both DR Congo and Rwanda amid global calls for the violence to end. The calls come after 13 soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in the DR Congo were killed in clashes with M23 rebels, UN and army officials have said.
The United Nations is pulling all non-essential staff out of Goma – a city of more than one million people – as the fighting intensifies. South Africa said nine of its soldiers were killed while deterring an advance on Goma.
A UN Security Council meeting about the deadly clashes, originally set for Monday, has been moved to Sunday due to the escalating conflict. Three Malawian soldiers were killed, the UN said, while Uruguay's army said one of its soldiers had died.
The M23 group has called on Congolese troops in Goma to surrender in order to avoid bloodshed. While DR Congo has severed diplomatic ties with neighbouring Rwanda, accusing the country of being behind the rebellion. M23 rebels have taken control of vast parts of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo since 2021. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes, the UN said.
The move comes after M23 fighters killed a Congolese military governor who was visiting the frontline on Thursday. Earlier in January, they captured the key eastern Congolese towns of Minova and Masisi. In the past few weeks the group has been advancing swiftly on Goma, a city of more than one million residents, amid intense fighting.
Macron called for an end to the fighting in separate calls with the leaders of DR Congo and Rwanda on Saturday, his office said. Guterres, in a statement through his spokesman, called on Rwanda to "cease support to the M23 and withdraw from DRC territory". He also called on the M23 to "immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from occupied areas".
The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged the M23 to halt its advance and condemned Rwanda's support for the group, the AFP news agency reports. As Sunday's UN Security Council got under way in New York City, reports of Rwandan drone strikes aimed at targets near Goma emerged.
Further condemnation came from Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the African Union's mediator between Rwanda and DR Congo, who denounced "irresponsible actions by the M23 and its supporters" and called for the "immediate cessation" of fighting to preserve civilian lives, according to the AFP news agency. Bintou Keita, from the UN peacekeeping force Monusco, told the council that despite ongoing UN efforts, M23 and Rwandan forces had captured the outskirts of Goma, "causing mass panic and fright across the population".
Fighting between the M23 and DR Congo's army has intensified since the start of the year, with the rebels seizing control of more territory than ever. "Roads are blocked and the airport can no longer be used for evacuation or humanitarian efforts. M23 has declared the airspace over Goma closed. In other words, we are cut," Ms Keita added.
The conflict has already led more than 400,000 people to flee their homes this year, according to the UN. The UK called for an end to attacks on peacekeepers, while France's UN representative, Nicolas de Rivière, reiterated Guterres' call for Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the DR Congo.
Local leaders last week said more than 200 civilians had been killed in areas captured by the M23, with hospitals in Goma treating hundreds of patients. Both DR Congo and the UN say the M23 is backed by Rwanda.
Martin Gordon, an Anglican bishop in Goma, told the BBC fighting in the country had gone on "way too long" and people "will do anything for peace". Instead, Rwanda blames the DR Congo for the current conflict.
Speaking at the Security Council meeting, Rwanda's UN representative Ernest Rwamucyo said he regrets that the international community chooses to condemn the M23 group rather than the Congolese army, who he said violated the ceasefire.
"Rwanda also notes with disappointment the international community's failure to condemn the use of foreign mercenaries in this conflict," Mr Rwamucyo said, adding that the military escalation "represents an unprecedented security threat to Rwanda".
It comes one day after the UN said it would be pulling all of its non-essential staff out of Goma. Essential operations are ongoing in the DR Congo.
Since the start of 2025 more than 400,000 people have been displaced in North and South Kivu, provinces near the border with Rwanda, according to the UN's refugee agency.
One displaced woman, Alice Feza, said she is at a loss of what to do next, as she has fled from Kiwanja, Rutshuru, Kibumba and now, Goma.
"People are fleeing everywhere, and we don't know where to go anymore, because we started fleeing a long time ago," Ms Feza said, adding: "The war catches us here among the host families, now we have nowhere to go".
In the past few days, several countries have urged their citizens to leave Goma, including the UK, France, Germany and the US.In the past few days, several countries have urged their citizens to leave Goma, including the UK, France, Germany and the US.
More than one million people live in Goma, a city near DR Congo's border with Rwanda The M23 group has called on Congolese troops in Goma to surrender in order to avoid bloodshed.
Human Rights Watch has warned of escalating risks to civilians as the Congolese army battles the M23 rebels. The humanitarian group has accused both sides of committing grave abuses against civilians. Meanwhile, DR Congo has severed diplomatic ties with neighbouring Rwanda, accusing the country of being behind the rebellion.
The UN has warned that the ongoing conflict is worsening the humanitarian crisis in the region. The move comes after M23 fighters killed a Congolese military governor who was visiting the frontline on Thursday.
The M23 has taken control of vast swathes of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo since 2021. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced as a consequence.
DR Congo and the UN say the M23 is backed by Rwanda. The Rwandan authorities have neither confirmed nor denied this.
Rwanda has previously said the authorities in DR Congo were working with some of those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide against ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
The M23 formed as an offshoot of another rebel group in 2012, ostensibly to protect the Tutsi population in the east of DR Congo, which had long complained of persecution and discrimination.The M23 formed as an offshoot of another rebel group in 2012, ostensibly to protect the Tutsi population in the east of DR Congo, which had long complained of persecution and discrimination.
Rwanda has previously said the authorities in DR Congo were working with some of those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide against ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
However, Rwanda's critics accuse it of using the M23 to loot eastern DR Congo's minerals such as gold, cobalt and tantalum.However, Rwanda's critics accuse it of using the M23 to loot eastern DR Congo's minerals such as gold, cobalt and tantalum.
Human Rights Watch has warned of escalating risks to civilians as DR Congo's army battle the M23 rebels. The humanitarian group has accused both sides of committing grave abuses against civilians.
As many as 400,000 people in eastern DR Congo have been displaced since the start of the year, according to the UN
Last week, local leaders said more than 200 civilians had been killed in areas captured by the M23, with hospitals in Goma treating hundreds of patients.
Martin Gordon, an Anglican bishop in Goma, told the BBC fighting in the country had gone on "way too long" and people "will do anything for peace".
Within reach of major mining towns supplying metals and minerals in high demand such as gold, tin and coltan, Goma has become a vital economic hub. Its road and air transport links, and the fact that it has a huge UN peacekeeping base, has attracted a host of businesses, international organisations and diplomatic consulates.
As such, Goma is a valuable strategic target. In February last year the town was the focus of a resurgence in fighting between the M23 group and the Congolese army.