M23 rebels seize Goma as world leaders push for mediation
It has been three days since the M23 rebel group claimed control over Goma, the capital and largest city of North Kivu Province, a mineral-rich region in eastern the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The takeover has drawn strong condemnation from the international community, with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres calling on M23 to immediately halt its offensive and withdraw from all occupied areas. Meanwhile, several world leaders are pushing for mediation as a means to resolve the conflict. In the following report, Daniel Kibet examines past clashes between M23 and the Democratic Republic of Congo government, how previous peace efforts were handled, and whether mediation could offer a viable solution to ending the ongoing conflict.
