Canadian soldiers have been temporarily relocated from the eastern Congolese city of Goma amid escalating violence that has displaced more than 110,000 people in recent days, according to the United Nations and local reports.
The conflict, fueled by clashes between rebels, armed groups, and government forces, has intensified in the mineral-rich region. The rebel group M23, backed by Rwandan troops, seized control of Goma in late January, forcing the closure of settlement camps and displacing thousands of civilians.
Zawadi Sifa, a 35-year-old mother of seven, is among those fleeing the violence. She has been moving from camp to camp with her children, seeking safety. “We have nowhere to go,” she said at a displaced persons camp in Goma on February 5, 2025.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) made the decision to temporarily relocate its personnel from Goma to Uganda.
“The CAF has taken the decision to deliberately, temporarily relocate deployed personnel from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to Uganda following recent assessments of the security situation in Goma,” said Maj. Graeme Scott, spokesperson for the Canadian Joint Operations Command, in an email to CTVNews.ca on Friday.
“For operational security reasons, specific details regarding the relocation plan will not be discussed at this time,” Scott added.
The relocation affects seven Canadian military members who were part of Operation Crocodile in Goma. Six of them were directly supporting the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country, while the seventh provided support to the team.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) was established in 2010 to protect civilians from violence and monitor a UN arms embargo following the Second Congo War. Despite the relocation of personnel from Goma, Canadian troops stationed in Kinshasa, the country’s capital, will continue to support the MONUSCO mission in person.
Scott emphasized that the redeployed personnel in Uganda will continue to conduct operational activities to support the mission remotely.
The violence in eastern Congo has been driven by armed groups vying for control of land and mines while attempting to protect their communities. The conflict, which has plagued the region for decades, shows no signs of abating.