What is happening in Goma? The crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo explained

Fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has impacted the lives of many civilians and has internally displaced millions of families. But on 26 January, the conflict escalated when rebel groups entered the major city of Goma, home to around 2 million people.

Families had fled into the city from surrounding areas ahead of the advancing troops. Now they are trapped in the city, where electricity and water have been cut off and food supplies run low.

What is the fighting in DRC about?

Decades of fighting between the Congolese government and rebel groups have seen millions of people killed due to conflict, hunger and disease, and millions more displaced from their homes and forced away from their livelihoods. Many had fled conflict zones into Goma, a major city in DRC, seeking safety.

But on 26 January, violence followed them into the city. At nightfall, the M23 rebel group (one of the groups fighting the Congolese government) fought their way into the city. Fighting broke out in parts of the city and by 27 January the M23 rebel group were declaring the city under their control.

Once again, families are caught up in the conflict with women and children now trapped in the fighting, sheltering in overcrowded compounds of hospitals, churches and schools. UN aid agencies warn of a major humanitarian crisis as hundreds of thousands of people are cut off from food, electricity and water, and vital humanitarian assistance.

How is the fighting affecting people in Goma?

The fighting is happening next to family homes. This means thousands of people are fleeing to other areas of the city, while many remain trapped in areas of conflict. Electricity and water supplies have been badly damaged, leaving many people without drinking water or access to electricity. Internet services have been up and down, meaning families are struggling to contact one another.

Sadly, children are one of the most affected groups. Schools have closed in Goma, cutting off access to education for thousands. Many children have found themselves having to flee their homes, leaving everything behind.

Another severely affected sector is healthcare. Now more than ever, hospitals need a good supply of medicine. But health systems are taking a major hit. Sadly, a Catholic maternity hospital has been hit by bombs from the fighting with reports of casualties among children and caregivers.

What is the humanitarian situation in Goma and how is CAFOD responding?

Our local experts remain in Goma, working tirelessly to support families affected by the conflict. We continue to help those devastated and displaced by the fighting.

Bernard Balibuno, CAFOD's Country Representative for DRC, said:

“The situation in Goma is very serious. Our staff and partners are responding with what they have, and we will be scaling up our response.

“The humanitarian needs in Goma now are vast. The city has been forced into shutdown by the fighting and hundreds of thousands of people are displaced.”

We are stepping up our response to meet the increasing need for humanitarian aid, such as emergency food and water.

We work with local experts in Goma and the people they are supporting through the crisis. Thanks to our courageous local experts we are ready to respond to these growing needs.

What you can do to help the people of DRC

We are making sure DRC is not a forgotten crisis, and you can do the same.

Now that the fighting has engulfed Goma, we need to talk about the conflict more than ever. It takes all of us working together to support families caught up in the fighting. You can share this article with friends, family and your parish, and talk about the crisis that’s happening in Goma right now.

We invite you to keep our sisters and brothers in Goma in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks to our brilliant local experts and the support of the Catholic community in England and Wales, we are ready to respond to this growing need as families are displaced once again.