Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has said he would not concede defeat to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who have seized control of most of the major city of Goma in eastern Congo.

Tshisekedi called on the population in the east of the resource-rich country to resist the fighters as they attempted to take more territory.

“The defence of the homeland is sacred,” he said in a televised address to the nation late Wednesday, speaking for the first time since the rebel victory.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo will not give in,” he said.

The capture of the provincial capital Goma by fighters from the M23 militia was an “insult to (Congo’s) history,” he continued.

The president vowed a vigorous response to drive the M23 out of Goma and called on young Congolese to join the army.

He also promised that his government in Kinshasa was devising an emergency humanitarian response for the displaced residents.

Amidst the intense fighting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot travelled to the country for talks.

The current situation is unacceptable and must end, the Foreign Ministry in Paris said, adding that the M23 must withdraw immediately, and Rwandan forces should leave the country.

The ministry said Barrot intends to advance this demand during a visit to Rwanda.

Demonstrators in the Congolese capital Kinshasa attacked the French embassy on Tuesday.

Similar violent protests occurred in front of Western embassies in the capital in February and August 2024.

The demonstrators accuse Western governments of failing to use their influence on Rwanda to curb the rebel attacks in eastern Congo.

Dozens of militias are fighting for control of resource-rich areas in the east of the country where valuable metals such as coltan, gold, nickel, cobalt and copper are mined.

M23 rebels marched into Goma on Sunday and claimed control of the city a day later.