In the early hours of Thursday, M23 rebels in Goma loaded hundreds of Congolese soldiers, pro-government militia fighters, and police officers onto trucks under heavy guard.
The armed group claimed the troops had surrendered and were being transferred to an undisclosed location where they would either undergo training or leave military life behind.
“We are sending them to training centres where they will be trained on the importance of the army, and then they will become full members of the revolution,” said Corneille Nangaa, a political leader for M23.
He stated that those unwilling to continue fighting would be allowed to return to civilian life, while others had already agreed to enlist with the rebels.
Among those waiting to be transported, two men who identified themselves as Congolese soldiers told a journalist they had given up their weapons and had no choice but to align with M23.
The rebel movement, which receives backing from Rwanda, has steadily expanded its hold over Goma since marching into the city on Sunday.
By Thursday, M23 leaders announced their ambitions to push beyond eastern Congo and advance toward Kinshasa, the country’s capital.
Their declaration came just hours after President Felix Tshisekedi issued a nationwide call for military resistance against the insurgency.
Meanwhile, humanitarian efforts in Goma have been severely disrupted. The United Nations coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that essential services are nearly non-functional.
The city is a vital lifeline for over six million displaced people seeking refuge from relentless conflict in the country’s east.
According to UN analysts, M23 is currently backed by approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops—far exceeding the force it commanded when it first captured Goma in 2012.
M23 is one of over 100 armed groups battling for control of Congo’s mineral-rich eastern provinces.
These contested lands hold an estimated $24 trillion in valuable minerals, crucial to the global production of mobile phones, laptops, and other electronics.
