M23 Rebels Push Further East

Last month, the Tutsi-led M23, backed by Rwanda, seized Goma, the main city in mineral-rich eastern DR Congo. The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of fueling conflict to exploit the region’s resources, a charge Rwanda denies.

The M23 previously captured Goma in 2012, but taking Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, would mark a significant escalation in the region’s instability.

Bukavu, bordering Rwanda on Lake Kivu’s southern tip, serves as a crucial transit hub for the local mineral trade.

On Friday, rebel fighters entered an airport 30km (19 miles) north of Bukavu after Congolese forces and an allied militia withdrew with little resistance.

However, heavy clashes erupted on Bukavu’s outskirts, according to South Kivu’s Deputy Governor Jean Elekano.

In Mayba, a northern village, local reports claim 70 bodies were found tied up inside a church, allegedly killed by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels linked to the Islamic State. The BBC has not verified these claims.

Residents of Bukavu told the BBC they were advised to stay indoors as tensions mounted.

At the Munich Security Conference, DR Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi urged sanctions against Rwanda, accusing it of expansionist ambitions and resource exploitation.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame, however, maintains Rwanda’s priority is security, citing threats from Hutu rebels in DR Congo while dismissing the possibility of sanctions.

As the crisis escalates, African leaders are set to discuss the conflict at an AU summit in Ethiopia, with AU Commission head Moussa Faki Mahamat calling for a ceasefire, emphasizing that military action will not resolve the crisis.