Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have taken control of Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a significant territorial gain in their ongoing offensive.
The fighters marched into the city on Sunday without resistance, occupying the regional governor’s office as some residents clapped and cheered their arrival.
This follows the recent fall of Goma, another key city in the mineral-rich region.
The Congolese government has confirmed Bukavu’s capture and urged residents to stay indoors for their safety. Reports indicate chaotic scenes across the city, with local youths taking up arms, sporadic gunfire, and looting.
A warehouse containing nearly 7,000 tonnes of food belonging to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) was ransacked, and a prison break has been reported.
M23 rebels had previously seized Bukavu’s airport, about 30km (18 miles) north of the city, before advancing towards the provincial capital of South-Kivu.
Provincial Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki stated that Congolese troops had withdrawn to prevent urban warfare, leaving a power vacuum.
Rebel leader Bernard Byamungu later appeared in the city’s central square, calling on government forces to surrender and blaming the military for the disorder.
The UN and European nations have warned that the crisis could trigger a wider regional war, with hundreds of thousands of people already displaced.
The Congolese government has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 insurgents to exploit the region’s natural resources, a claim Kigali denies.
President Félix Tshisekedi is calling for sanctions against Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who insists that Rwanda’s primary concern is national security.
The African Union has urged the rebels to lay down their arms, fearing further escalation.
With Bukavu under M23 control, the Congolese government faces a deepening crisis in the region, raising concerns about long-term stability.
