DR Congo : Fighting Continuous Amid Talks

Heavy fighting has been reported between pro-government forces and M23 rebels in the western neighborhoods of Goma despite ongoing talks in Doha (Qatar). The fighting that began on Friday plunged the city into panic, according to local sources. Residents in the Keshero and Lac-Vert districts reported heavy shooting and explosions beginning around 10 p.m. local time. The barrage continued for several hours, prompting civilians to flee or seek shelter indoors. According to local media, the fighting involved March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, who have controlled Goma since January, and armed factions believed to be affiliated with the pro-government Wazalendo militias and the DRC armed forces (FARDC). In a broadcast aired by the local branch of the Congolese National Radio and Television, the M23 accused the FARDC-Wazalendo coalition of launching coordinated attacks on its positions during the night.
Since seizing Goma in late January, the M23 has established a parallel administration in the provincial capital of North Kivu. Hostilities have continued to flare across the province, a volatile region at the heart of eastern DRC's long-running conflict. The United Nations estimates that roughly one million people, including some 400,000 children, have been newly displaced since late January across North and South Kivu provinces as the two factions vie for control.
An estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced across North and South Kivu prov...