The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has expanded its territory southward from Goma, the border city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that it recently captured. The rebels have declared their intention to remain in the city, sparking fears of a major regional conflict.
Corneille Nangaa, head of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of militias that includes M23, announced at a press conference in Goma, “We are here in Goma to stay. We are going to continue the march until Kinshasa,” referring to Congo’s capital, located 1,000 miles away. Rwanda’s ambassador-at-large for the Great Lakes region, Vincent Karega, confirmed that the M23 advance would continue and suggested that the fighters could push beyond the eastern region of the country.
Despite international calls for restraint, M23 fighters have seized two districts in South Kivu province as they advance towards Bukavu, the second largest city in eastern DRC. This aggressive push has heightened concerns about the potential for a larger regional conflict.
In a late-night address on Wednesday, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi called on young people to enlist in the army “massively” and vowed “a vigorous and coordinated response” to the rebel advance. Tshisekedi criticized the “silence and inaction” of the international community, calling it an affront in the face of an “unprecedented worsening of the security situation” that could escalate into a broader regional conflict.
Rebel fighters and Rwandan soldiers have taken control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in the biggest escalation of the decades-old conflict since 2012. Congo’s army has its main line of defense in the city of Kavumu. Should the rebels advance beyond Kavumu, the provincial capital of Bukavu could be at risk. Some Congolese troops displaced by M23 in Goma have already fled to Bukavu.
The M23 rebels are supported by 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to UN experts—significantly more than the number involved in their brief capture of Goma in 2012. A successful push into South Kivu would bring the territory under rebel control for the first time since the end of two major wars (1996 to 2003), which resulted in millions of civilian deaths from malnutrition and disease. Troops from neighboring Burundi, which has hostile relations with Rwanda, are supporting Congolese forces in South Kivu, increasing the risk of a broader conflict.
Rwanda faces mounting international pressure over its role in the conflict. The US has expressed deep concern, Germany has canceled a planned meeting with Rwandan officials, and the UK has threatened to withhold $1 billion in global aid. French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Rwanda to discuss the crisis and called for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from DRC. Barrot also met with President Tshisekedi in Kinshasa earlier in the day.
Tshisekedi declined to attend an emergency virtual summit called by the East African Community bloc to discuss the conflict. At the summit, attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, leaders called for an immediate ceasefire and peaceful resolution through talks between DRC and armed groups.
The DRC is rich in gold and other minerals, such as cobalt, coltan, tantalum, and tin, which are essential for batteries and electronics. Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of waging the offensive to profit from the region’s mineral wealth, a claim supported by UN experts who say Kigali has thousands of troops in DRC and “de facto control” over M23.
Rwanda has denied these accusations, asserting that its support for M23 is aimed at destroying the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a DRC-based armed group created by former Hutu leaders involved in the Rwandan genocide.
As the situation in eastern DRC continues to evolve, the international community watches closely, aware of the potential for further escalation and the profound implications for regional stability.