During the night of April 11, 2025, the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo was shaken by intense gunfire.
The detonations of heavy and light weapons echoed through several neighborhoods, plunging residents into panic.
Affected Neighborhoods and Intensity of Fighting
The neighborhoods of Kyeshero, Ndosho, Mugunga, and Lac Vert were particularly affected by the clashes. While a precarious calm gradually returned to the neighborhoods of Himbi, part of Kyeshero, Ulpgl, Nyarubande, and Kituku, gunfire continued to the north in Nyabushongo, Turunga, Kihisi, Vision 2020, and to the west of the city in the neighborhoods of Lac Vert, CCLK, and Mugunga.
Casualties and Testimonies
According to a source close to the M23, Wazalendo fighters were neutralized and others captured following the arrival of reinforcements from Rwanda. On the morning of April 11, the situation was calm, but fear persisted among residents. Bodies of men in military uniform were found in some neighborhoods of the city.
Call for Calm from the M23 Governor of North Kivu
In a statement broadcast by RTNC/Goma, the self-proclaimed M23 governor of North Kivu, Bahati Erasto, called on the population to remain calm. He explained that the gunfire heard during the night was due to exchanges between the M23/AFC/RDF and the Wazalendo, FDLR, and FARDC coalition, which had attempted to attack their positions. The governor claimed that the attackers had been quickly defeated.
Current Situation and Outlook
The situation in Goma remains tense, despite the governor’s call for calm. Residents, still shaken by the night’s events, have timidly resumed their community activities (salongo). The evolution of the situation in the coming days remains uncertain, and the local population remains anxious.
With Daniel Micombero
Goma: Fighting Erupts, Precarious Calm Returns
