Congolese city Goma under threat as thousands flee rebel advance

A rocket landed near a university in the Congo city of Goma on Wednesday as thousands more civilians fled a fresh advance by M23 rebels that threatens to isolate the strategic urban hub in the violence-ridden east of the country. There were no casualties from the strike, which blasted a crater into an area of open ground in the Lac Vert neighbourhood northwest of Goma, but the attack underscored the potential threat to the city of around two million people. In an region already plagued with militia violence, M23 rebels launched a major new offensive in March 2022, sparking a conflict that has led to military intervention and mediation efforts by East African regional leaders.