M23 fighters, backed by Rwandan troops, advanced further into eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday, prompting Burundi to warn Kigali of retaliation if attacked.
According to local and humanitarian sources, the armed group, which has gained ground against the Congolese army since its resurgence in 2021, seized two key towns along the route to Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu. The captured towns, Ihusi and Kalehe—approximately 60km from Bukavu—were taken as M23 fighters moved south along the Lake Kivu highway.
A Kalehe resident described seeing “numerous” M23 fighters in the town, adding, “We see them moving around without saying a word to people.”
In response, the government in Kinshasa called for an emergency meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) to assess the situation. It urged regional leaders to take action against what it described as “a new act of aggression” and called for sanctions.
During a recent summit in Tanzania, SADC and EAC leaders had instructed military chiefs to establish a plan for enforcing an unconditional ceasefire set to begin on Thursday. However, after a brief two-day lull, fighting resumed in Kalehe on Tuesday, just 30km from the strategically important Kavumu airport, which remains under Congolese control.
Since the M23’s re-emergence, several peace efforts hosted by Angola and Kenya have failed to curb the violence in the mineral-rich region.
While Rwanda continues to deny supporting M23 militarily, the latest escalation has further strained relations between Kigali and Kinshasa. The growing tensions also led DR Congo to close its airspace to Rwandan-registered aircraft, forcing RwandAir to reroute its flights on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Burundi, which shares borders with both Rwanda and the DRC, has deployed around 10,000 troops to South Kivu in support of the Congolese army.
“The one that is going to attack us, we will ourselves attack,” warned Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye while addressing residents in the border town of Bugabira. He described Rwanda as a “bad neighbor” and cautioned that the ongoing conflict could escalate into a regional war.
In Goma, the capital of North Kivu, displaced persons were ordered by M23 to vacate camps within 72 hours, leading to an exodus of families.
At Bulengo camp, families were seen leaving on lorries and motorcycles after dismantling their tents and makeshift shelters. “We cried, telling them that there are disabled and elderly people here, but they told us to leave as we came,” lamented Chantal Uwimana, a mother of ten.
In Goma, a delegation of Congolese religious leaders from Kinshasa met with Corneille Nangaa, head of the River Congo Alliance—a political-military coalition that includes M23.
Despite Kinshasa’s ongoing refusal to hold direct talks with M23, religious leader, Fulgence Muteba, head of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), expressed hope for dialogue.
“There are many things that could be sorted out if Congolese got around a table,” Muteba said, adding that President Felix Tshisekedi had encouraged their initiative.
The situation remains volatile, with fears of further regional escalation as the conflict intensifies.
