The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Saturday condemned the killing of 52 civilians during the night from Friday to Saturday in the eastern city of Goma, reportedly carried out by rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23).

In an official statement signed by Vice Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Jacquemain Shabani, the DRC government accused the M23 of committing serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the country’s eastern region.

Violent clashes reportedly broke out Friday night in the western part of Goma, the capital of the eastern North Kivu province, according to multiple local sources.

Eyewitnesses from the Keshero and Lac-Vert neighbourhoods of the city told Xinhua that heavy gunfire and shelling began around 10:00 p.m. (2000 GMT) local time on Friday, causing widespread panic among residents. A relative calm was observed on Saturday morning.

According to several local media outlets, the fighting pitted M23 rebels, who have controlled Goma since January, against armed elements affiliated with the Wazalendo self-defence militias and the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC).

In a statement broadcast by the Goma branch of the Congolese National Radio and Television, M23 rebels accused the FARDC-Wazalendo coalition of launching coordinated attacks on several of their positions overnight.

Since seizing control of Goma at the end of January this year, M23 has reportedly established its own administrative structures in the city, while clashes continue in other strategic areas of North Kivu.

According to the United Nations, around 1 million people, including some 400,000 children, have been displaced in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces since late January 2025 due to the intensifying conflict between the FARDC and various armed groups.

Overnight fight in Goma

Intense gunfire and artillery fire shook the western neighbourhoods of Goma overnight from Friday to Saturday, plunging the city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into panic, according to local sources.

Residents in the Keshero and Lac-Vert districts reported heavy shooting and explosions beginning around 10 p.m. local time on Friday. The barrage continued for several hours, prompting civilians to flee or seek shelter indoors.

A tense calm returned on Saturday morning, but no official casualty figures were released as of midday.

According to local media, the fighting involved March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, who have controlled Goma since January, and armed factions believed to be affiliated with the pro-government Wazalendo militias and the DRC armed forces (FARDC).

In a broadcast aired by the local branch of the Congolese National Radio and Television, the M23 accused the FARDC-Wazalendo coalition of launching coordinated attacks on its positions during the night.

Since seizing Goma in late January, the M23 has established a parallel administration in the provincial capital of North Kivu. Hostilities have continued to flare across the province, a volatile region at the heart of the eastern DRC’s long-running conflict.

The United Nations estimates that roughly one million people, including some 400,000 children, have been newly displaced since late January across North and South Kivu provinces, as heavy fighting continues between government forces and armed groups vying for control.