In the city of Bukavu, eastern Congo, residents and business owners found themselves in a state of anxious anticipation on Saturday morning following a night filled with gunfire signaling the ongoing advance of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. Families remained indoors and shops shuttered as reports emerged of M23 fighters moving into the outskirts of Bukavu, a city with a population of approximately 1.3 million, located 63 miles (101 kilometers) south of Goma, the largest city in the region that the rebels had captured the previous month.
The M23 group, which is backed by an estimated 4,000 troops from Rwanda, has become the most prominent among over 100 armed factions competing for control of Congo’s mineral-rich eastern territories. The group’s aggressive southward thrust is unprecedented, expanding their territorial gains beyond what has been seen in previous conflicts, creating a severe challenge to the central government’s authority.
The ongoing rebellion has resulted in the deaths of at least 2,000 individuals in and around Goma and has left hundreds of thousands of people displaced, according to reports from the U.N. and Congolese authorities. On Friday, the rebels claimed to have taken control of a second airport in the region, located in Kavumu, just outside of Bukavu. The United Nations has issued warnings regarding the alarming escalation of clashes between the rebels and government forces, noting that 350,000 internally displaced persons are now without shelter.
The Associated Press was unable to confirm which group currently holds control over the strategically significant airport, which has been crucial for Congolese forces to resupply troops and for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid. Government officials, along with local civil society leaders, did not provide immediate comments. However, Congo’s Communications Ministry stated that the rebels have breached ceasefire agreements by attacking Congolese troops who were making efforts to avoid urban warfare and minimize violence within Bukavu.
M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka asserted via social media platform X that the rebels had seized Kavumu airport and its surrounding areas to "eliminate the threat at the source," which he claimed posed a significant danger to civilian safety. Reports from a local civil society leader in Kavumu indicated witnessing soldiers abandoning their positions and retreating towards Bukavu, echoing similar incidents observed last month leading up to the M23's capture of Goma. Despite its substantial size and funding, Congo’s military has been plagued by issues concerning training, coordination, and persistent reports of corruption.
Amidst the escalating tensions, international leaders are expected to address the conflict at an African Union summit in Ethiopia this weekend. President Félix Tshisekedi of Congo has been actively urging the international community to intervene to stop the rebel advance. However, progress remains stagnant since the government dismissed a ceasefire that M23 had declared unilaterally as "false" just a week prior.
As chaos and panic enveloped the area, residents in South Kivu province began fleeing Bukavu towards nearby towns and started stockpiling household supplies in preparation for anticipated further violence. The U.N. refugee agency reported that ongoing shelling and looting have resulted in the destruction of 70,000 emergency shelters, leaving displaced individuals with limited options for refuge. A resident named Chirimwami Alexis, who was fleeing from Kavumu, expressed the fear of people moving without any preparation or food, emphasizing the desperate circumstances forcing them to flee their homes.
