GOMA:Burundi’s president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, warned on Saturday that the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could spiral into a wider regional war. The fighting, largely driven by the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, has already led to the capture of Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC. M23 has threatened to march on the capital, Kinshasa, further escalating tensions in a region plagued by over three decades of violence.
The conflict has led to an estimated six million deaths, and the fall of Goma has heightened fears of a humanitarian crisis across the continent. President Ndayishimiye emphasized that neighboring countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, are also at risk, and the situation is a growing threat to the entire region.
The complexity of the conflict is heightened by the involvement of foreign troops. Burundi has deployed over 10,000 soldiers in the eastern DRC, some of whom have been actively fighting against M23 forces. Rwanda, which has also been accused of having military involvement in the region, has denied the claims, focusing on the need to eliminate a Hutu-led armed group formed after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The DRC accuses Rwanda of using the instability to exploit the region’s valuable mineral resources.
Locals in the South Kivu province, which is now threatened by the advancing M23, are preparing for further conflict, with many fearing the worst. The fighting has already caused significant casualties, with over 700 killed and 2,800 wounded in the recent clashes in Goma.
The African Union’s health agency has warned of a looming public health crisis, with diseases like mpox spreading in the region due to the ongoing violence and displacement. The agency stressed that without swift action, the war’s toll could be overshadowed by the outbreak of pandemics, further endangering the population.
