More than 400 civilians have been killed in the latest wave of fighting as the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group pushes deeper into South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), regional officials reported.
Residents said M23 forces took full control of the strategic town of Uvira on Thursday.
This latest offensive, which has forced around 200,000 civilians to flee their homes, comes despite a peace agreement signed last week in Washington, DC between the presidents of Congo and Rwanda. The deal, brokered by the United States, is now at serious risk of collapsing.
The agreement does not include M23, which is holding separate talks with the DRC after a previous ceasefire fell apart, with both sides blaming each other for violations. However, the pact requires Rwanda to stop supporting armed groups and work to reduce violence.
According to a South Kivu government spokesperson, “more than 413 civilians have been killed by bullets, grenades, and bombs, including many women and children,” in areas between Uvira and Bukavu.
The spokesperson added that the forces now present in Uvira include “Rwandan special forces and foreign mercenaries,” saying their actions violate the ceasefire and go against the commitments made in Washington and Doha.
M23 announced it captured Uvira on Wednesday afternoon after a rapid advance since early December.
On Thursday morning, sporadic gunfire could still be heard on the outskirts, Reuters reported. For months, Uvira had served as the temporary base for the provincial government after rebels took control of Bukavu in February.
Despite the danger, many residents left their homes on Thursday to look for food after sheltering indoors or fleeing to rural areas.
“The government told us Uvira would never fall and that everything was under control,” said Godefroid Shengezi, a local teacher. “But today we see the opposite.”
Uvira is a crucial port city located at the northern end of Lake Tanganyika, directly across from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.
US Pressure on Rwanda
Both the DRC and United Nations experts accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23 group, which grew from a force of a few hundred members in 2021 to an estimated 6,500 fighters today.
Rwanda denies backing M23, but last year admitted it deployed troops and missile systems inside the DRC for what it called security reasons. UN experts estimate that as many as 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are operating inside Congo.
Earlier this week, the US State Department said it was “deeply concerned” about the violence. A spokesperson stated:
“Rwanda, which continues to support M23, must prevent further escalation.”
The US Embassy in Kinshasa also called on M23 and Rwandan troops to halt offensive operations and urged Rwanda to withdraw its forces.
Rwanda responded on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Congolese forces of breaking the ceasefire and claiming the DRC openly stated it would keep fighting to retake lost territory.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
Eastern Congo is home to more than 100 armed groups competing for control of land and resources, especially near the border with Rwanda. M23 remains one of the most powerful.
The conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. More than seven million people are currently displaced, according to officials.