Goma, DRC / Kampala, Uganda – In a dramatic escalation of the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), over 1,000 United Nations staff and Congolese civilians have crossed into Uganda after being forcibly expelled from Goma by the M23 rebel group and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). This mass evacuation follows the rebels’ recent seizure of Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, significantly undermining the Congolese government’s authority.
The evacuees, including UN personnel and humanitarian workers, crossed into Uganda through the Katuna and Kyanika border points in a heavily guarded convoy. Their ultimate destination is Entebbe International Airport, where they are scheduled to be flown to Kinshasa and other secure locations due to fears of further violence.
Eyewitnesses described a long convoy of buses carrying both international staff and Congolese nationals. A Ugandan border official remarked on the unprecedented scale of the evacuation, noting that many evacuees appeared exhausted and terrified. The convoy was escorted by UN vehicles and Ugandan security forces as tensions continue to rise in the region.