Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have vowed to push on to Bukavu, South Kivu’s provincial capital, saying the security situation is deteriorating. This comes amid fresh clashes along the front line, which increases concern over further escalation.
After taking Goma, the eastern Congo’s largest city, at the end of January, the rebels halted their advance after declaring a unilateral ceasefire. Regional leaders promptly called for an immediate and unconditional truce. Since last week, however, when the rebels took control of the mining town of Nyabibwe, they have gained no new ground.
According to rebel, military, and local administrations sources, Tuesday was a heavy shelling day along the frontline. The strategic town of Kavumu and Bukavu, with its airport, remain under the control of the DRC army. However, panic grips the region as reports surface of marauding soldiers robbing villages and attacking civilians at will, and this is the reason for the arrest of over 80 soldiers.
The situation in Bukavu is getting alarmingly grave. Our people are being murdered and looted,” the spokesperson for the rebel alliance that comprises M23, Lawrence Kanyuka said in the X post. The rebels were determined to crush the threat if these crimes do not stop, he added.
The conflict has killed thousands since the early stages of 2022 and has already displaced more than a million people, at the risk of developing into a regional war. The Congolese army, assisted by allied militias and Burundian forces, is under resistance from M23 rebels and Rwandan troops, which the United Nations recently reported had crossed into South Kivu.
Meanwhile, in Goma, there is uneasy calm as thousands of civilians are leaving the displacement sites. There is growing concern among the aid organizations about the loss of critical infrastructure if these sites are dismantled without proper planning and that includes water and healthcare facilities.
