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The military governor of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo has succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on the front lines during an offensive by M23 rebels, as reported by the army on Friday.
The rebels are advancing on two fronts near Goma, the provincial capital in the eastern part of the country, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands and warnings from the UN that the violence could escalate into a broader regional conflict.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to convene on Monday to address the situation, according to diplomats.
Maj.-Gen. Peter Cirimwami Nkuba, who had been in charge of the province since 2023, has passed away, as confirmed by army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge during a press briefing.
An internal UN report obtained by Reuters indicated that he was injured while overseeing troops approximately 20 km (12 miles) from Goma.
Ekenge stated that Nkuba was wounded "on the field" and was evacuated to Kinshasa, the capital, where he later died from his injuries. No additional details regarding the circumstances were provided.
Fighting has intensified in Congo's mineral-rich eastern region since the beginning of the year, with the Tutsi-led M23 group capturing more territory than ever before.
After taking control of Minova on Tuesday, the rebels advanced towards Sake, located about 20 km (12 miles) west of Goma, which is home to over one million residents. They have also launched attacks along the main road from the north of the city, disrupting key supply routes.
On Friday, the rebel group Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes M23, announced their intention to capture Goma.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, MONUSCO, reported that its heavy artillery had conducted fire missions against M23 positions in Sake over the past 48 hours and repositioned its forces to strategic locations to bolster its presence in and around Goma. Nine peacekeepers have sustained injuries, according to UN spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Congo and the UN have accused neighboring Rwanda of exacerbating the three-year insurgency by providing troops and weapons, a claim that Rwanda has denied.
M23 derives its name from a March 23, 2009, agreement between the Congolese government and previous rebel groups, which the rebels claim the government has violated. They assert that they are defending Tutsi interests against ethnic Hutu militias whose leaders were involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The number of individuals displaced by the conflict this year has surged to 400,000, doubling since last week, as reported by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, which has warned that hospitals are nearing capacity.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has highlighted a severe shortage of medical supplies in Goma, with patients left waiting in corridors, medical personnel fleeing, and gunshot and explosion wounds being treated only after days. Myriam Favier, head of the ICRC Goma sub-delegation, noted that an increasing number of the wounded are women and children.
Virunga Energies, a privately-owned utility in the province, stated that its electricity transmission lines along the Kibumba-Goma road north of the city were damaged on Friday due to the ongoing fighting.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric remarked on Thursday that this offensive has had a devastating impact on the civilian population and has increased the risk of a wider regional conflict.
The Congolese foreign ministry has called for a meeting of the UN Security Council, emphasizing that the crisis is primarily a result of the Council's inaction, despite the internationalization of the conflict and clear evidence of Rwandan presence on Congolese territory.
On Thursday, the Congolese government claimed that the army had repelled the advance on Sake and was safeguarding Goma.
However, the statement condemned the recent capture of Sake, which heightens the threat to Goma.
The situation in Sake remained uncertain on Friday, with local sources and an international charity representative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reporting ongoing fighting in the area.
Heavy bombardments have forced families from at least nine tent camps on the outskirts of Goma to seek refuge in the city, according to UNHCR. Spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh reported from Geneva that many spent the night sleeping on the streets and in green spaces throughout the city.
The M23 briefly seized control of Goma during a previous rebellion in 2012, which led international donors to suspend aid to Rwanda. Even then, the rebels did not hold as much territory as they currently do.
