(29 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo – 29 January 2025
1. Mid of M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma, who is on U.N. Security Council’s sanctions list for crimes committed by rebel group, looking on as foreign soldiers who fought alongside Congolese forces are escorted into Rwanda
2. Close of Rwanda border sign ++MUTE++
3. Mid of foreign forces walking
4. Various of M23 soldiers guarding Congolese side of Rwanda-Congo border
5. Walking shot following M23 soldiers
6. SOUNDBITE (French) Willy Ngoma, spokesperson for M23:
“We released the mercenaries, they went home. There were 289 mercenaries. Let the people of Goma be calm, peace is here. We are a people’s army, we will watch over their security, we will bring peace. No hassling. We do not steal, we do not rape, peace is truly total, we are a people’s army. What we must do is denounce all these bandits who are still hiding with weapons, so that they can work with us in this sense, so that we can stop them.”
7. M23 and U.N. forces standing at Rwanda-Congo border
8. M23 soldiers walking near border
9. Foreign soldiers walking toward Rwanda, U.N. troops watching ++MUTE++
10. M23 soldiers sitting in passing truck
11. Ngoma talking with Romanian mercenary who worked with Congolese army UPSOUND Willy Ngoma (French): “You were an instructor? But where were you in the army?”
No name given, Romanian mercenary (French): “In the foreign legion.”
Willy Ngoma (French): “Foreign legion? In what country?”
No name given, Romanian mercenary (French): “France.”
Willy Ngoma (French): “France? So you left there? You did that in France to come here and fight against us? Well, we are fighting for the future of our children. Sit down. On the ground.”
12. Wide of people walking with their luggage towards Rwanda
13. Mid of soldier holding putting tape on post
14. SOUNDBITE (Swahili) Fiston Bafaluma, Goma resident:
“We, the population, need peace. We don’t need anything else except peace. We have no electricity, no internet, there is nothing. We have been at home for three days, since Monday. Today is the day we just went out a little, it is not possible. We need peace, and we saw Willy Ngoma. We need peace. If peace is here, we will need it to be everywhere, even where our brothers are.”
15. Various of people walking in downtown Goma
STORYLINE:
A spokesman for the Rwanda-backed rebels who have captured large parts of Goma, the biggest city in eastern Congo has said the group aims to "bring peace" to the city.
“Let the people of Goma be calm," Willy Ngoma, a spokesman for M23, who have been fighting the Congolese army in the country’s east, said from Goma on Wednesday.
"We are a people’s army, we will watch over their security, we will bring peace."
Fighting between the Congolese army and M23 has intensified in recent weeks, with M23 capturing key towns around Goma and arriving in the city on Sunday.
The rebels have claimed multiple victories at the expense of a larger Congolese army that has the support of a 14,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force as well as troops from African countries deployed under a regional bloc.
There are even Romanian military contractors that Rwandan authorities describe as mercenaries.
One of the Romanians knelt on the ground, hands behind his head, as rebels sought to usher him and others toward the border crossing on Wednesday.
The M23 rebels’ offensive in the heart of the mineral-rich region threatens to dramatically worsen one of Africa’s longest wars and further displace civilians.
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