GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan 28 (Reuters) – The eastern Congolese city of Goma descended into chaos as M23 rebels seized the airport and declared the city under their control, plunging the region deeper into violence. This has further worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of displaced people arriving in the city.

The M23 is a group originally from the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. It had its most aggressive offensive since 2012, overpowering Goma on Monday and causing an outbreak of violence. Bodies litter the streets, with hospitals in the city already strained with casualties continuing to fill with the wounded. Meanwhile, protests against foreign interference were running out of hand in the capital Kinshasa, targeting diplomatic missions and embassies, including those belonging to Rwanda, France, and the United States.

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Goma on the Brink

Once a vital hub for displaced people fleeing violence elsewhere in eastern Congo, Goma is now itself engulfed in turmoil. After days of heavy fighting, M23 rebels seized the city’s airport, severing even further Goma from the outside world. According to Christoph Vogel, a Congo researcher, the airport is an important connecting point for the UN, humanitarian organizations, but also for the Congolese military:. Now, with the airport under rebel control, supplies and aid vital to the survival of the city’s residents and refugees are now severely compromised.

Local media also report skirmishes involving small arms and mortar fire, mainly in the airport area and other key installations. A witness in the Majengo area, near the airport, said things were bad, with shooting heard consistently throughout the night. “I have heard the crackle of gunfire from midnight until now. it is coming from near the airport,” she said.

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Growing Casualties and Hospitals Overstretched

The violence has escalated, bringing devastating consequences for civilians caught in the crossfire. Reports from UN and humanitarian staff on the ground describe heavy gunfire and mortar shelling, with many bodies left in the streets. Hospitals are struggling to treat the growing number of wounded, most of whom are suffering from gunshot and shrapnel wounds.

Adelheid Marschang, WHO’s emergency response coordinator, has confirmed the hospitals in Goma are overwhelmed, treating hundreds of patients. “There are currently hundreds of people in hospital, most admitted with gunshot wounds,” she said. At least 17 people were killed in the fighting on Monday alone, with many more injured, according to hospital sources. Civil society groups, however, estimated that the overall toll in Goma might reach 25 dead and 375 wounded.

For these reasons, humanitarian groups such as Save the Children and the World Food Programme have suspended their operations in Goma due to the violence. Both agencies said that the insecurity and difficulty in reaching people in need made further operations impossible. A spokesperson with WFP warned that food aid to the region has ground to a halt amid an already severe risk of food shortages.

International Protests and Attacks on Embassies

Protests also burst out in Kinshasa, the capital, amid chaos in Goma, where the public became incensed about the perceived interference of foreign players in the conflict. Demonstrators attacked the embassies of Rwanda, France, Belgium, and the United States. Allegations of interference in the conflict by other countries are being stoked by accusations of Rwanda’s involvement in supporting the M23 rebels. The US embassy issued a security alert asking its citizens to stay indoors and not move around.

Demonstrators further looted Kenya’s embassy in an apparent escalation. Kenyan Foreign Minister Korir Sing’Oei slammed the attacks as completely wrong since diplomatic missions must remain immune. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot denounced the violence which broke out with a fire inside the French embassy building, but which was extinguished fairly quickly.

Against the violence, South Africa confirmed the killing of three of its soldiers, who had been caught in the crossfire since fighting in Goma first began. The incident raised the number of the country’s casualties to 13 in one week.

Rwanda’s Role in the Conflict

M23 is a rebel group composed mainly of Tutsi fighters who say they are fighting for the rights of the minority Tutsi population in the DRC’s volatile east. But the group’s capture of key cities like Goma has raised eyebrows internationally, with accusations by both the UN and the government of the DRC that Rwanda is backing the rebels with military might.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN peacekeeping forces, confirmed reports of Rwandan soldiers operating alongside M23 fighters in Goma. “There’s no question that there are Rwandan troops in Goma supporting the M23,” Lacroix said, though the number of Rwandan soldiers on the ground remains unclear.

The government of Rwanda has denied the accusations, saying it only defends itself from the Congolese militias threatening its security. The government of Rwanda also pointed at the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, an anti-Kagame rebel group, within eastern Congo as justification for its military involvement.

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The Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The situation in Goma is increasingly precarious. Thousands of people who had found refuge in the city from earlier conflict are on the move again, with many crossing into Rwanda. The World Food Programme has suspended its operations of assistance in the area, citing the increasing insecurity, while local authorities and relief organizations are stretched by the rising number of displaced people.

The government of the DRC, along with the UN, has called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue, but prospects for peace are not clear yet as both M23 and the Congolese government forces seem unyielding in their positions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called for calm, asking Rwanda to withdraw its forces and calling for the resumption of dialogue.

As Goma’s fall is looming, the international community is holding its breath as the situation in the DRC is increasingly deteriorating without a visible path to peace.