Repairs underway as calm returns to conflict-hit Goma in DR Congo: Video
Efforts to restore normalcy have begun in Goma, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo city recently gripped by violent conflict.
Traffic has cautiously resumed, and repairs to damaged power lines are underway. However, shops, markets, and schools remain closed, according to reports from an AFP team.
The relative calm follows intense clashes between Congolese soldiers and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, which seized control of much of Goma on Sunday. Fighting has largely subsided, but uncertainty looms as M23 fighters gain ground in the mineral-rich region.
On Thursday, January 30, M23 vowed to push further west toward Kinshasa, the DR Congo capital, signalling potential escalation. The group's capture of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, marks a significant development in a region plagued by decades of violence involving multiple armed groups.
Rwanda, which denies backing M23, claims its primary objective is to eliminate fighters linked to the 1994 genocide. However, critics argue the neighbouring country is motivated by a desire to exploit DR Congo's vast mineral reserves, crucial for the global electronics industry.
