Large parts of Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, are now under the control of the M23 and their Rwanda Defense Force allies. This is likely to be seen, looking back 20 years from now, as a major inflection point in the history of the Congolese conflict. It is the fifth time the city has fallen to a Rwandan-backed rebellion in the past three decades. The first two times, in 1996 and 1998, were during the Great Congo Wars, when Rwanda officially entered its neighbor. At the time, it had the sympathy of many in the international community, as it alleged its only goal was self-defense against the militias who had carried out the genocide in 1994.
Read the full opinion piece: Goma, Congo: Understanding the M23 and RDF Attack