Rebellions from the Rwanda-backed M23 have killed a military governor as they advanced through the Eastern Democratic Republic Congo, the army confirmed on Friday.
Major General Peter Cirimwami, North Kivus Governor, was shot by M23 warriors when he visited the front line on Thursday.
He was transported to the capital Kinshasa for possible treatment abroad, but “succumbed to his injuries,” said Army spokesman Gen Sylvain Ekenge.
The fighting between M23 and DR Congo’s army has been intensified since the beginning of the year, with the rebels conquering control of more territory than ever before.
More than 400,000 people have fled their homes since the beginning of this year as the M23 moves towards the city of Goma, the UN reports.
As they moved towards Goma, the M23 conquered the cities of Masisi and Minova.
More than 200 civilians have been killed in areas conquered by M23, local leaders said on Thursday.
Hospitals in Goma treat hundreds of wounded patients.
And according to the UN, two children died after bombs fell over a camp for displaced.
Human Rights Watch has warned against escalating risks to civilians, while the Congolese army is fighting against the M23 rebels. The humanitarian group accuses both sides of committing serious abuse against civilians.
The UN has warned that the ongoing conflict is aggravating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
As a result of this turmoil, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi interrupted his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, and flew back Thursday to hold urgent security meetings with top officials.
President Tshisekedi gave instructions to the army of “tracking the enemy attacking us, pushing them far from Goma and pursuing them across the entire national territory,” General Ekenge said.
The fall of Goma – a city of over a million that is close to the border with Rwanda – would be a big coup for the rebels. They briefly took over the city during a rebellion in 2012, but withdrew after an agreement was communicated.
Several roads leading to the city have now been blocked, which raises concerns that the food supply in the city may run out.
“The city of Goma is held in a vice, the city is suffocated, there are no more inputs, there are no more exits … This population suffers tremendously,” the local union leader Bahala Shamavu Innocent told the BBC.
Espoir Ngalukiye, member of the opposition party Ensemble Pour la Republique, is also concerned about access to food.
“In Goma we are not sure in reality,” said Mr. Ngalukiye. “No one living in Goma can tell you he’s not afraid.”
Over the past few days, the United States, Britain and France have all counseled their citizens to leave Goma as soon as possible.
Gen Cirimwami was appointed North Kivus Governor in 2023 with the task of ending decades of conflict in the region. At that time, there was some criticism of the appointment of a military governor.
Prior to this, Gen Cirimwami as military commander went against President Tshisekedi’s wishes and cooperated with the armed group FDLR in the fight against M23, according to the UN.
Some FDLR leaders have been linked to the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, and the group has also been accused of human rights violations in DR Congo.
Rwanda has repeatedly accused the Congolese authorities of cooperating with FDLR and has twice invaded its much bigger neighbor and said it went after those who committed the genocide.
On Thursday, the M23 rebels conquered the nearby town of Sake, according to the UN, the UK and various other sources.
But the Congolese army said it had rejected the attack on Sake, which is only 20 km (12 miles) from Goma.
Residents of Sake and the wider area – many of whom were already displaced by the conflict – have fled their homes.
People flee with mattresses and other such essential things on their backs, while dozens accumulate into overcrowded wooden boats.
Thousands of panic families have fled against Goma, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with wounded civilians.
M23 has taken control of large parts of the mineral -rich Eastern DR Congo since 2021. As a consequence, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
Last year, it was also feared that the rebels would conquer Goma. There was a break in the matches in late July, but the fierce matches resumed in October and deteriorated towards the end of the year.
DR Congo and the UN say M23 is supported by Rwanda. The Rwandan authorities neither confirm nor disprove this.
UN experts say Rwanda has between 3,000 and 4,000 soldiers operating along M23 in eastern DR Congo.
UN Secretary -General Antonio Guterres has warned that the current conflict is at risk of escalating to a wider regional war.
Guterres called on “All actors to respect the Democratic Republic of Congo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to put an end to all kinds of support for armed groups,” a statement states.
Further reporting of Richard Kagoe