Over 500,000 displaced in Congo amid rebel offensive in 2025, says minister

Over 500,000 people have been displaced in January alone due to intense fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner has said. 

He made the announcement during an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on January 28, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Wagner confirmed that North and South Kivu provinces have been particularly affected, with the humanitarian situation deteriorating rapidly.

The situation worsened when M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, captured Goma, the capital of North Kivu and the largest city in eastern Congo, on January 27. Large portions of the city are now under rebel control, marking the worst escalation of the ongoing conflict in more than a decade.

The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has called for immediate international intervention to address the mounting violence. "The situation in Goma requires urgent and coordinated international action," said Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations in MONUSCO. The violence has led to widespread civilian casualties, trauma, and displacement.

In a phone call with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed Washington's deep concern over the escalation, particularly the fall of Goma to M23 rebels. Rubio urged for an immediate ceasefire and called on all parties to respect the territorial integrity of the DRC.

Goma is situated in one of the DRC's most resource-rich areas and shares a border with Rwanda. The M23 rebels, who have been engaged in long-standing conflict with Congolese government forces, are primarily seeking access to the region’s valuable natural resources.

As the violence intensifies, the European Union has estimated that more than 7 million people are now displaced across the country, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

By Khagan Isayev