M23 rebels abduct 130 patients in Goma, escalate conflict, seize territory, and face accusations of Rwandan backing.

The M23 rebels, who have launched an offensive in eastern Congo, have abducted at least 130 sick and wounded men from two hospitals in the city of Goma, the United Nations reported on Monday.

According to the UN, M23 fighters raided CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital during the night of February 28. From CBCA Ndosho Hospital, they took 116 patients, while 15 others were abducted from Heal Africa Hospital. The spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, Ravina Shamdasani, confirmed the incidents in a statement.

The abducted men were suspected of being either soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) army or members of Wazalendo, a pro-government militia.

"It is deeply distressing that M23 is snatching patients from hospital beds in coordinated raids and holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations," Shamdasani stated, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of those abducted.

M23 spokespersons Willy Ngoma and Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the situation.

At the end of January, the M23 rebels marched into Goma and have since advanced further into eastern Congo, seizing territories and gaining control of valuable mineral-rich regions. Their current military offensive, which began in late December, marks the most serious escalation in a long-standing conflict. The roots of this conflict trace back to the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the ongoing battle for control over Congo’s vast mineral resources.

The DRC government, alongside UN experts and Western powers, has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels. However, Rwanda denies any involvement, instead claiming that its actions are defensive measures against ethnic Hutu-led militias operating in Congo that, according to Kigali, pose a threat to Rwanda and are intent on killing Tutsis.

Since January, more than 8,500 people have lost their lives in the violence in eastern Congo, according to government figures. Additionally, nearly half a million people have been left homeless after 90 displacement camps were destroyed in the fighting.

Efforts to curb the rebel offensive have so far failed, including international sanctions, renewed investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and peace negotiations led by African nations. Despite these efforts, the M23 rebels have managed to capture two major cities in eastern Congo—Goma and Bukavu—further intensifying the crisis.