At least 700 people have been killed since Sunday in intense fighting in Goma, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province, a UN spokesman said Friday.
Rwandan-backed armed group M23 has seized Goma, the biggest city in the country’s east, and is advancing south as volunteers and the struggling Congolese army attempt to beat them back.
“The World Health Organization and its partners conducted an assessment with the government” between Sunday and Thursday, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general.
Goma was taken after fighting earlier this week, and M23 fighters have vowed to march to the capital Kinshasa.
UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix warned that the conflict could trigger a wider regional war. He stressed that all diplomatic efforts should focus on halting hostilities.
The situation in Goma remains tense, with occasional gunfire reported, though calm is gradually being restored. Lacroix expressed concern about the M23's advance towards Bukavu, a large city in South Kivu, located 60 kilometers north of the area.
The Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Rwanda of backing M23 to exploit the region's mineral wealth, which is used in global electronics, though Rwanda denies any involvement, claiming its goal is to eliminate Hutu militants.
