Fresh clashes reported near Goma following the death of willy ngoma

Fresh fighting reported near Goma in North Kivu has renewed concerns over security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with clashes said to have broken out around Virunga National Park near Rusayo in Nyiragongo territory.

Local reports said residents in parts of Goma heard heavy and light weapon fire on Sunday and some chose to remain indoors as uncertainty spread.

According to the main report, the fighting involved Wazalendo fighters and rebels from the Congo River Alliance, or AFC, affiliated with the Rwanda-backed M23 movement. The reported combat zone lies in a highly sensitive corridor near Goma, a city whose security has repeatedly been affected by front-line shifts in North Kivu.

Beyond the immediate security alert, the latest clashes reinforce the wider strategic weight of the Goma-Virunga axis in the eastern DRC conflict. The area sits close to a major urban centre, near key population routes, and inside a broader theatre where M23 activity, militia mobilisation and cross-border tensions continue to shape regional stability.

Recent international reporting has also underlined that the M23 conflict remains tied to wider diplomatic and security pressure on Rwanda and the region.

While no verified casualty toll was immediately available from the report, the renewed gunfire around Goma is likely to deepen anxiety in a province already marked by repeated displacement, armed group activity and fragile civilian protection. That makes each new clash around the city more than a local incident; it is also a signal of how exposed eastern DRC remains to recurring instability.