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| Congo Rebels Enter Provincial Capital, Reports Say | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| KAMPALA, Uganda — Rebels from the Democratic Republic of Congo were reported to have entered the eastern city of Goma, a provincial capital and one of Congo’s largest cities, on Tuesday, and a senior United Nations official said the insurgents were “well inside.” | KAMPALA, Uganda — Rebels from the Democratic Republic of Congo were reported to have entered the eastern city of Goma, a provincial capital and one of Congo’s largest cities, on Tuesday, and a senior United Nations official said the insurgents were “well inside.” |
| A journalist traveling with the insurgents and residents said the rebels had marched down Goma’s main avenue without firing a shot as government forces melted away. Earlier, heavy shelling and gunfire had swirled around the airport and outer neighborhoods of the city before the insurgents, members of what is known as the March 23 Movement, or M23, took over. | A journalist traveling with the insurgents and residents said the rebels had marched down Goma’s main avenue without firing a shot as government forces melted away. Earlier, heavy shelling and gunfire had swirled around the airport and outer neighborhoods of the city before the insurgents, members of what is known as the March 23 Movement, or M23, took over. |
| The apparent takeover by the group, which has captured villages and beaten back a seemingly broken Congolese Army, could destabilize parts of central and east Africa, analysts said. United Nations peacekeepers have a mandate to use force to protect civilians, but it was unclear how peacekeepers garrisoned at the Goma airport reacted to the rebel advance after a rebel column from the north joined up with insurgents surrounding the city. “The M23 is well inside Goma,” said the senior United Nations military official in Goma, speaking in exchange for anonymity because the situation was so fluid. | The apparent takeover by the group, which has captured villages and beaten back a seemingly broken Congolese Army, could destabilize parts of central and east Africa, analysts said. United Nations peacekeepers have a mandate to use force to protect civilians, but it was unclear how peacekeepers garrisoned at the Goma airport reacted to the rebel advance after a rebel column from the north joined up with insurgents surrounding the city. “The M23 is well inside Goma,” said the senior United Nations military official in Goma, speaking in exchange for anonymity because the situation was so fluid. |
| It was not immediately clear whether any of the peacekeepers tried to use force to hold off the rebel troops. The United Nations mission in Congo is the largest and most expensive of its kind in the world. | It was not immediately clear whether any of the peacekeepers tried to use force to hold off the rebel troops. The United Nations mission in Congo is the largest and most expensive of its kind in the world. |
| By midday, the rebels had taken control of the area surrounding the airport but not the terminal and other buildings themselves. Government forces were reported to have fled, and by early afternoon Goma was again quiet — but now in different hands. | By midday, the rebels had taken control of the area surrounding the airport but not the terminal and other buildings themselves. Government forces were reported to have fled, and by early afternoon Goma was again quiet — but now in different hands. |
| A store owner in Goma said the M23 rebels had released a statement over the radio Tuesday saying, “The airport has just fallen, and the city.” | A store owner in Goma said the M23 rebels had released a statement over the radio Tuesday saying, “The airport has just fallen, and the city.” |
| As the rebel troops marched down Goma’s main street, some crowds applauded. | As the rebel troops marched down Goma’s main street, some crowds applauded. |
| A German journalist traveling with a column of rebels who entered Goma said the insurgents had fanned out across the city center “without a shot” and had advanced toward the border between Rwanda and Congo. | A German journalist traveling with a column of rebels who entered Goma said the insurgents had fanned out across the city center “without a shot” and had advanced toward the border between Rwanda and Congo. |
| At the border, witnesses said, Congolese customs officials walked away from their posts and congregated at a nearby hotel. | At the border, witnesses said, Congolese customs officials walked away from their posts and congregated at a nearby hotel. |
| Rwanda has been accused of backing the M23 rebels, and the border remained open Tuesday. | Rwanda has been accused of backing the M23 rebels, and the border remained open Tuesday. |
| In Goma, a British journalist said United Nations jeeps and armored personnel carriers had driven past rebel troops “like they ignored each other.” | In Goma, a British journalist said United Nations jeeps and armored personnel carriers had driven past rebel troops “like they ignored each other.” |
| The position of government forces remained unclear. | The position of government forces remained unclear. |
| “We are fighting still hard,” said a Congolese military spokesman, Col. Olivier Hamuli. | “We are fighting still hard,” said a Congolese military spokesman, Col. Olivier Hamuli. |
| It also remained unclear whether the mayor’s and governor’s residences and offices had been taken over. | It also remained unclear whether the mayor’s and governor’s residences and offices had been taken over. |
| On Monday, the Congolese government rejected an ultimatum made by rebels Sunday night to withdraw from Goma and accused Rwanda of sending two battalions of troops over the border into Congo to fight on their behalf and firing a rocket that injured five civilians in Goma. | On Monday, the Congolese government rejected an ultimatum made by rebels Sunday night to withdraw from Goma and accused Rwanda of sending two battalions of troops over the border into Congo to fight on their behalf and firing a rocket that injured five civilians in Goma. |
| Rwanda has called the accusations “absolutely false and diversionary” and said it was “exercising restraint as of now,” according to a military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Joseph Nzabamwita. Rwanda’s military accused the Congolese Army of bombing the nearby Rwandan border city of Gisenyi, killing one person and injuring two others. | Rwanda has called the accusations “absolutely false and diversionary” and said it was “exercising restraint as of now,” according to a military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Joseph Nzabamwita. Rwanda’s military accused the Congolese Army of bombing the nearby Rwandan border city of Gisenyi, killing one person and injuring two others. |
| “It’s really scary,” one radio journalist said, as fighting between government forces and rebel soldiers around Goma city broke out Monday afternoon. “We knew it would happen, but we didn’t think it would happen all of a sudden.” | “It’s really scary,” one radio journalist said, as fighting between government forces and rebel soldiers around Goma city broke out Monday afternoon. “We knew it would happen, but we didn’t think it would happen all of a sudden.” |
| Witnesses in Goma said heavy explosions pounded central Goma on Monday and a general panic by residents resulted in a mass exodus of civilians from the city center. Tariq Riebl, a humanitarian officer for the organization Oxfam in Goma, said that there had been reports of “fighting, looting, complete panic” across parts of Goma by Monday evening and that it was unclear whether rebels had come to control certain areas of the city. | Witnesses in Goma said heavy explosions pounded central Goma on Monday and a general panic by residents resulted in a mass exodus of civilians from the city center. Tariq Riebl, a humanitarian officer for the organization Oxfam in Goma, said that there had been reports of “fighting, looting, complete panic” across parts of Goma by Monday evening and that it was unclear whether rebels had come to control certain areas of the city. |
| Scores were believed to be injured in fighting Monday, and several killed, but there was no clear tally of casualties. | Scores were believed to be injured in fighting Monday, and several killed, but there was no clear tally of casualties. |
| A rebel offer to withdraw from Goma in exchange for concessions from the government did little to bring the two sides together. “To allow a peaceful exit,” a rebel news release circulated Monday morning said, “our movement demands” the “complete demilitarization of the city and the airport of Goma,” except for United Nations peacekeepers, and also “direct political negotiations with the Movement of March 23.” | A rebel offer to withdraw from Goma in exchange for concessions from the government did little to bring the two sides together. “To allow a peaceful exit,” a rebel news release circulated Monday morning said, “our movement demands” the “complete demilitarization of the city and the airport of Goma,” except for United Nations peacekeepers, and also “direct political negotiations with the Movement of March 23.” |
| But Congo’s government rejected the ultimatum, and turned attention toward Rwanda. “We are resisting an aggression that Rwanda is launching against us,” said a Congolese government spokesman, Lambert Mende. “We have not yet declared war, but we are ready to face it. This is our country, our duty.” | But Congo’s government rejected the ultimatum, and turned attention toward Rwanda. “We are resisting an aggression that Rwanda is launching against us,” said a Congolese government spokesman, Lambert Mende. “We have not yet declared war, but we are ready to face it. This is our country, our duty.” |
| The United Nations expressed bewilderment and frustration at the rebel attack. | The United Nations expressed bewilderment and frustration at the rebel attack. |
| “They were able to bypass all of the positions we had,” said Hiroute Guebre-Selassie, who leads the United Nations peacekeeping office in North Kivu Province, where Goma is situated. “We are not facing a conventional force.” | “They were able to bypass all of the positions we had,” said Hiroute Guebre-Selassie, who leads the United Nations peacekeeping office in North Kivu Province, where Goma is situated. “We are not facing a conventional force.” |
| Ms. Guebre-Selassie said that while United Nations soldiers had prepared for certain attacks, rebels were filtering “beyond sight” through a national park and “coming from other sides.” | Ms. Guebre-Selassie said that while United Nations soldiers had prepared for certain attacks, rebels were filtering “beyond sight” through a national park and “coming from other sides.” |
| The sequence of events for people in Goma is strikingly similar to the events of four years ago when many of the same rebel soldiers, under a different name, also captured large swaths of territory. | The sequence of events for people in Goma is strikingly similar to the events of four years ago when many of the same rebel soldiers, under a different name, also captured large swaths of territory. |
| “The presumption by most of us was that there wouldn’t be this type of fighting in Goma, but that there would be a resolution,” said Mr. Riebl, of Oxfam. “It is probably worse than people expected.” | “The presumption by most of us was that there wouldn’t be this type of fighting in Goma, but that there would be a resolution,” said Mr. Riebl, of Oxfam. “It is probably worse than people expected.” |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: November 20, 2012 | Correction: November 20, 2012 |
An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the United Nations official who leads the peacekeeping office in North Kivu Province. She is Hiroute Guebre-Selassie, not Guebre-Sellasie. | An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the United Nations official who leads the peacekeeping office in North Kivu Province. She is Hiroute Guebre-Selassie, not Guebre-Sellasie. |