A cautious sense of calm has begun to settle over the city of Uvira in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as residents slowly emerge from their homes after the area was captured by M23 rebels.
The takeover earlier this week has cast doubt over the US-brokered peace agreement signed just a week ago between Congolese and Rwandan leaders. Washington on Friday accused Rwanda of helping drive the offensive, worsening regional tensions.
Authorities in South Kivu reported that at least 400 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in recent fighting between the cities of Bukavu and Uvira — both now under M23 control.
Al Jazeera, the only international broadcaster on the ground in Uvira, described an uneasy calm in the port city on Lake Tanganyika. Correspondent Alain Uaykani said government forces and allied militias known as the “Wazalendo,” who previously used Uvira as a base, fled even before M23 fighters arrived.
Residents Return but Fear Lingers
People who fled as the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced are cautiously returning, although most shops and businesses remain closed. “People are coming out, they feel the fear is behind them,” Uaykani said, noting widespread signs of heavy fighting.
Residents described moments of panic during the clashes. Bienvenue Mwatumabire said he was at work when gunfire erupted nearby. “Today we have noticed things are getting back to normal,” he told Al Jazeera.
Another resident, Baoleze Beinfait, said rebels had not harassed civilians so far, but added, “We will see how things are in the coming days.”
M23’s spokesperson defended the offensive, saying the group had “liberated” Uvira from what they called “terrorist forces.” The rebels say they are protecting ethnic Tutsis in eastern DRC, where fighting has surged since early this year.
The offensive, which began on December 2, has displaced more than 200,000 people across South Kivu, according to United Nations partners.
Rwanda Accused of Supporting M23 Fighters
South Kivu officials claimed that Rwandan special forces and foreign mercenaries were present in Uvira, calling it a violation of the Washington peace accords and previous ceasefire agreements.
At the UN Security Council on Friday, US ambassador Mike Waltz accused Rwanda of driving the region “towards increased instability and war,” warning that Washington would hold those disrupting peace accountable. Waltz said Rwanda maintains strategic control of M23, with up to 7,000 Rwandan troops reportedly fighting alongside the rebels.
Rwanda’s UN ambassador rejected the accusations, instead blaming DRC for violating the ceasefire. Rwanda acknowledges having troops in eastern DRC but insists they are there for national security against Hutu militias that fled after the 1994 genocide.
The fall of Uvira has alarmed neighbouring Burundi, which has deployed its forces nearby. Burundi’s ambassador to the UN warned that “restraint has its limits,” suggesting further attacks could push the country toward confrontation. More than 30,000 refugees have already crossed into Burundi.
DRC’s foreign minister urged the UN to hold Rwanda accountable, arguing that “impunity has gone on for far too long.”
A report from the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project said Rwanda played a major role in supporting M23’s Uvira operation, calling it the group’s most significant offensive since March.
Experts briefing the UN Security Council said civilians have yet to see any benefit from the recent agreements between Kinshasa and Kigali. The conflict in eastern DRC — where more than 100 armed groups operate — remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with over seven million people displaced.
M23 itself is not part of the Washington-mediated talks, instead participating in separate negotiations with the Congolese government hosted by Qatar.