“No longer safe”: Congolese Relocate to Rwanda to Avoid Violence
Clutching their belongings in a cold, open field, Congolese refugees described to AFP on Tuesday how they had no choice but to flee to Rwanda as bombs rained down in battles between militias and the DR Congo military over the regional capital, Goma.
Goma, a city of over one million people, has long been at the heart of recurring clashes between state forces and armed militias in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The latest escalation, which began last year, intensified on Sunday when M23 rebels, supported by Rwandan troops, entered the city, leaving residents and traders trapped.
“Things changed very fast for the worst last night, and we knew we weren’t safe anymore,” said Destin Jamaica Kela, a 24-year-old student. He is among roughly 1,200 refugees who crossed into Rwanda over the past 24 hours, seeking safety.
“We heard bombs falling all night and screams—people calling for help,” Kela recounted. “But for our own safety, we couldn’t go out to help.”
The following morning, he ventured out to check on his neighbors, only to find that a bomb had destroyed their home, killing the entire family. “Bombs were falling everywhere, killing people. We saw dead bodies,” he said.
For others, the chaos brought financial and personal devastation. Burundian truck driver Nzisabira Salim, one of 47 truckers stranded in Goma, said, “It was business as usual until it wasn’t. We found ourselves in a war zone.”
Salim described how his cargo, money, and food were stolen during the turmoil. “The last few days have been the hardest I’ve ever experienced—no water, no food, nowhere to sleep,” he said.
Eventually, the M23 armed group escorted Salim and other stranded individuals to the border, where they joined thousands fleeing the conflict.
