Goma is safe, nowhere else is

After what appeared to be be some rather major Congolese army victories against Nkunda, all ground gained has been lost. The rebels have overtaken all previous positions, sent more civilians fleeing the areas, and left the Congolese army in complete disarray.

Sake is about 30km west of Goma (Mawe Hai is on the way) and that is where the UN says the rebels stop. They have 4,500 blue helmets defending Sake and Goma alone and this is their position:

"The situation is unchanged in Sake. Monuc is controlling the town," said Major Prem Tiwari, the UN mission's military spokesperson in Nord-Kivu province."We have reinforced our positions. We won't let this town fall into the hands of Nkunda's troops."

Since Sake is before Goma, and they have been quoted saying Goma is even more important than Sake, Goma is safe. Other places though are completely in chaos almost. The road to Mawe Hai was croweded with people walking into the city with whatever they could carry or could walk on it's own (goats). It actually took a lot of concentration to drive and was kind of frustrating, not to mention completely horrible that these people are displaced in their own country. We met a worker coming into Mawe as we were leaving and he was from Sake. He said the Congolese army was urging people to leave the city as shelling the surrounding areas with artillery is an option, and that might cause Nkunda to return fire. It's not good.

But given some of the reports I've heard recently, I'm surprised the Congolese army could unify enough to tell the civilians that. Mushake (I think that's the city that was talked about) is a city and was one of Nkunda's key positions. It was taken by the Congolese army last week, and the rebels took it back. There was a foreign journalist there who later visited HEAL Africa and said when the rebels came over the hills the Congolese army soldiers fled, often dropping their weapons and running. They were all young soldiers with no training and there were no officers anywhere.

Yesterday on the way back from Mawe Hai into the city there were still people everywhere on the roads walking into Goma. About every minute or two a motorcycle would drive by with a driver and a soldier or two heading towards Sake. Sometimes there would be a soldier or a couple soldiers walking towards Sake. It seems that it is their responsibility to get to the fighting and there appears to be no organization. If it wasn't for the UN, I strongly believer the Congolese army wouldn't have a chance.

So far though I have not heard of the UN actively fighting in any of the offensives of the government, so the Congolese army might not have a chance anyways. Things change in a couple hours here sometimes, but now it doesn't look very good. The Congo needs prayers for peace.