Traffic Suspension on Goma-Rutshuru Road Despite Calm: FARDC-M23 Conflict
A relative calm prevails on Monday, January 13, 2025, along several combat lines, particularly in the territories of Nyiragongo and Masisi in North Kivu. An important development is the suspension of traffic on the RN2 Goma-Rutshuru following clashes between the M23/RDF coalition elements and the FARDC, supported by local fighters known as “wazalendo.”
**Tensions and Tempers Flare**
Joseph Fatali, the president of the civil society of Kibumba, shares, “For now, there are no clashes along the Kibumba axis. It’s a precarious calm. No gunshots were heard this morning. Yesterday, M23 elements attacked the brave FARDC soldiers and wazalendo near Kalaké, Bisogo, and Kamahoro in PNVi. Our soldiers fiercely fought back, even pushing the Rwandan army back a few meters. Currently, our army and wazalendo are holding the line towards the central market of Ruhunda. Traffic between Goma and Rutshuru remains suspended.”
**Battlegrounds and Border Skirmishes**
The clashes extended into the late hours of Sunday in Kalaké near Mount Nyiragongo, within the Virunga National Park. Thierry Gasisiro, rapporteur of the civil society of Nyiragongo, reports that shells were allegedly fired from Rwanda into loyalist positions in the Rubavu district. The local civil society confirms a fragile calm along the Sake-Kimoka axis, where Sunday witnessed battles near Sake, 27 km from Goma in Masisi territory.
**The Fight for Stability**
Voltaire Batundi, president of the territorial coordination of the civil society of Masisi, notes, “Masisi center is relatively quiet. Today, no clashes were reported. Ngungu-Rubaya axis is also calm. The remaining challenge is reaching Kabashumba and Muderi to access Rubaya. Other areas have been reclaimed by FARDC and allies. We are advocating for non-stop offensives to destabilize the enemy on the Kibabi-Rubaya and Sake axes.”
The FARDC successfully thwarted M23’s attempt to advance into South Kivu for illegal resource exploitation. Lieutenant Colonel Njike Kaiko Guillaume, spokesperson for FARDC in North Kivu, reiterated the army’s readiness to retaliate against any aggression from the M23/RDF coalition.
As tensions simmer and battles rage near civilian settlements, the communities caught in the crossfire await a resolution that ensures their safety and stability amid the conflict’s chaos. The bravery of the FARDC soldiers and local fighters shines through as they defend their territories against external threats, embodying the resilience and determination of the Congolese people in the face of adversity. Let us hope for a swift end to this conflict, bringing peace and security back to the region for the sake of all those affected by the turmoil.