Residents recount harrowing scenes, including soldiers abandoning posts and issuing warnings about the rebels’ advance, forcing people to flee in fear. Despite the challenging journey to Goma, safety in the city is far from guaranteed. Recent days have seen rockets hitting the city’s outskirts, emphasizing the indiscriminate nature of the conflict’s impact.

Individuals forced to leave their homes express a profound sense of uncertainty and displacement. The city is under attack, and the fleeing population has nowhere else to go. President Felix Tshisekedi’s challenges in quelling the violence, despite his reelection, raise doubts about the government’s ability to restore peace. Tshisekedi’s struggle to fulfill promises of stability exacerbates the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire.

Accusations against Rwanda for supporting M23 rebels complicate the situation, with the United Nations echoing Tshisekedi’s claims, despite Rwanda’s denial. As the conflict escalates and displacement increases, the future remains uncertain for the people of Goma and its surrounding areas, trapped in a cycle of violence with no apparent resolution.