‘The first victims will be women and the children’

Aid and charity workers fear for the safety of the innocent caught in crossfire as rebels take Goma in Congo uprising

- LAUREN CROSBY MEDLICOTT

Gunfire rang out across Goma as rebel group M23 marched into the Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest eastern city – in the worst escalation of a conflict lasting more than a decade. Before long they had seized the city and are now looking to push on in their fight against the government.

Faith*, a 42-year-old aid worker hiding away from the fighting in Goma, tells The Independent about life in the city now. “The humanitarian situation is critical,” he says. “Bodies are all over the city and many are decaying in the streets,” he adds. “Children are dying by the hour. Hospitals are full and those in hospital have no food, no water, and no medication. Medical staff are overwhelmed.”

With the internet cut off to “limit communication”, Faith says people who didn’t manage to escape Goma are struggling to communicate as they were primarily sharing information through social media.

The group’s name, M23, refers to the 23 March 2009 accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt in eastern Congo. Now, the M23 is taking up arms against the Congolese government, accusing the government of not living up to the peace deal and fully integrating Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration.

The rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda – although Kigali deny this – have long been funded in part by the illicit mineral trade, with analysts suspecting the “lightning advance” in Congo’s mineral-rich eastern borderlands is set to boost their revenues.