Congo

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned Rwanda for backing a rebel offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and urged it to withdraw its forces and stop supporting the M23 armed group.

The UNSC unanimously adopted the resolution on Friday, and also extended the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, for a year. This came despite Rwanda’s repeated denials – contrary to overwhelming evidence – of involvement in a conflict that has intensified as a United States-brokered peace deal unravels.

The UNSC said M23’s seizure of the strategic city of Uvira “risks destabilizing the whole region, gravely endangers civilian populations and imperils ongoing peace efforts”.

“M23 must immediately withdraw at least 75km (47 miles) from Uvira and return to compliance with all of its obligations undertaken in the Framework Agreement,” said Jennifer Locetta, a US representative to the UN.

M23 captured Uvira in the South Kivu Province on December 10, less than a week after the DRC and Rwandan presidents met US President Donald Trump in Washington and committed to a peace agreement.

“It is an amazing day: great day for Africa, great day for the world and for these two countries. And they have so much to be proud of,” Trump crowed, as fighting quickly undermined the White House spectacle.

One Uvira resident, Feza Mariam, told Al Jazeera in recent days: “We don’t know anything about the political process they are talking about.

“The only thing we need is peace. Anyone able to provide us with peace is welcome here. For the rest, we as citizens, we don’t care about it.”

The M23 group claimed on Wednesday it was withdrawing from the city following international backlash, but the DRC government dismissed this as a “staged” pullback, saying M23 forces remain deployed there.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged on Friday that commitments under the Washington accord were “not being met” but said his government had now signed agreements it could “hold people to”.

The US earlier warned it would use available tools against those undermining the peace deal, with US officials estimating between 5,000 and 7,000 Rwandan soldiers were operating in eastern DRC as of early December.

The US had previously sanctioned Rwandan cabinet ministers earlier this year, and the DRC later led calls to expand those sanctions after the seizure of Uvira.

The fighting has triggered a major humanitarian emergency, with more than 84,000 people fleeing into Burundi since early December, according to the UN refugee agency, which said the country has reached a “critical point” as refugees arrive exhausted and traumatised. They join approximately 200,000 others who had already sought refuge in the country.

Regional officials say more than 400 civilians have been killed in recent violence in the city.

The seizure of Uvira, located directly across Lake Tanganyika from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura, has raised fears of broader regional spillover. The city was the last major foothold in South Kivu for the DRC government and the Wazalendo, which are DRC-allied militias, after M23 captured the provincial capital, Bukavu, in February.

Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23, despite assessments by UN experts and the international community. In a February interview with CNN, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said he did not know whether his country’s troops were in the DRC, despite being commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Rwanda implicitly acknowledged a presence in eastern DRC in February 2024, when it rejected a US call to withdraw troops and surface-to-air missile systems, saying it had adjusted its posture for self-defence.

Rwanda maintains that its security concerns are driven by the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a militia composed largely of Hutus who fled to the DRC after participating in the 1994 genocide that killed approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Kigali views the group as an existential threat and accuses the DRC government of supporting it.

The broader conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DRC, where more than 100 armed groups operate, has displaced more than seven million people, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

UN refugee agency says women and children arriving ‘exhausted and severely traumatised’ after fleeing eastern DRC.

More than 84,000 people have fled to Burundi from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) amid a Rwanda-backed rebel offensive near the countries’ shared border, according to the latest United Nations figures.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that Burundi had reached a “critical point” amid the influx of refugees and asylum seekers fleeing a surge in violence in the DRC’s South Kivu province.

“Thousands of people crossing the border on foot and by boats each day have overwhelmed local resources, creating a major humanitarian emergency that requires immediate global support,” UNHCR said, noting that more than 200,000 people had now sought refuge in Burundi.

“Women and children are particularly affected, arriving exhausted and severely traumatised, bearing the physical and psychological marks of terrifying violence. Our teams met pregnant women, who shared that they had not eaten in days.”

The exodus began in early December when the M23 rebel group launched an assault that culminated in the capture of Uvira, a strategic city in the eastern DRC that is home to hundreds of thousands of people.

Refugees started crossing into Burundi on December 5, with numbers surging after M23 seized control of Uvira on December 10. On Wednesday, M23 said it was withdrawing after international condemnation of its attack on the city.

In Burundi, displaced families face difficult conditions at transit points and makeshift camps with minimal infrastructure, the UN said.

Many have sheltered under trees without adequate protection from the elements, and a lack of clean water and proper sanitation.

About half of those displaced are children less than the age of 18, along with numerous women, including some who are pregnant.

Ezechiel Nibigira, the Burundian president of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), reported 25,000 refugees in Gatumba in western Burundi, and nearly 40,000 in Buganda in the northwest, most of them “completely destitute”.

Augustin Minani, the administrator in Rumonge, told the AFP news agency that the situation was “catastrophic” and said “the vast majority are dying of hunger.”

Refugees recounted witnessing bombings and artillery fire, with some seeing relatives killed and others forced to abandon elderly family members who could not continue the journey.

M23 withdrawal

M23 announced earlier this week it would begin withdrawing from Uvira, with the group’s leadership calling the move a “trust-building measure” to support United States- and Qatari-led peace efforts.

However, the Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya dismissed the announcement as a “diversion”, alleging it was meant to relieve pressure on Rwanda.

Local sources reported that M23 police and intelligence personnel remained deployed in the city on Thursday.

The offensive extended M23’s territorial gains this year after the group captured the major cities of Goma in January and Bukavu in February.

The rebel advance has given M23 control over substantial territory in the mineral-rich eastern DRC and severed a critical supply route for Congolese forces along the border with Burundi.

M23 launched the Uvira offensive less than a week after the presidents of the DRC and Rwanda met with US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, to reaffirm their commitment to a peace agreement.

The rebels’ takeover of the city drew sharp criticism from Washington, with officials warning of consequences for what they described as Rwanda’s violation of the accord. Rwanda denies backing M23.

The fighting has killed more than 400 civilians in the DRC and displaced more than 200,000 since early December, according to regional officials and humanitarian organisations.

The broader conflict across the eastern part of the country, where more than 100 armed groups operate, has displaced more than seven million people, the UN refugee agency says.

Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organisation,  has raised concerns over the dire humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the capture of Uvira town by M23/AFC rebels.

In a statement released on Monday, Dec. 15, Human Rights Watch reported that the offensive launched by M23/AFC, with support from Rwanda in Uvira and the surrounding areas, has resulted in a significant displacement of populations. It stated that access to humanitarian assistance has been severely diminished.

According to figures from the United Nations, approximately 200,000 people have fled the fighting, including over 30,000 who have crossed the border into Burundi. Congolese refugees arriving in Burundi have informed UN officials that they are receiving little to no humanitarian assistance. Human Rights Watch reports that local hospitals and health centres are overwhelmed amid a decline in humanitarian aid due to limited access and financial resources.

The organisation emphasises the suspension of food assistance in the province, stating that the UN World Food Programme has halted its support throughout South Kivu, worsening the living conditions of displaced populations still in areas affected by conflict. They are urging all forces present on the ground to ensure humanitarian access and the protection of civilians. In particular, they demand that the Rwandan authorities and the M23 guarantee access to essential items for the population’s survival, including water, food, and medicine.

Human Rights Watch states that the lack of progress in humanitarian aid, despite recent diplomatic efforts, is concerning.

“The Washington Accords dealing with the situation in the Eastern DR Congo have not permitted improved security nor better access to aid for the civilians near Uvira in South Kivu,” said Clementine de Montjoye, Human Rights Watch’s principal researcher for the Great Lakes region.

While humanitarian needs are rapidly increasing, Human Rights Watch exhorts its international partners to act quickly.

 “The situation faced by civilians in South Kivu is more and more perilous, and the humanitarian needs are considerable,”  the non-governmental organisation said, calling for an urgent reinforcement of assistance and the adequate protection of civilian populations.

For over a month, schools in Vikindwe, a locality 10 kilometres from Musienene in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been closed due to the activities of the Wazalendo militia group. The primary schools in Vikindwe and Vuketi, along with the Viseya Institute, have been particularly affected by this educational disruption.

According to Kakule Syanghuswa Arsen, the headmaster of Vikindwe Primary School, events began to escalate in February this year when members of the Wazalendo militia assaulted a student from the school. This incident created tension between the militia and the local community. Following this, there were death threats directed at specific individuals in the area, as well as sporadic gunfire during school hours, severely disrupting the teaching and learning process.

Since October, the situation has become so tense that some students have experienced convulsions. The headmaster has now urged the authorities in the education sector to intervene with the provincial governor, hoping to have the Wazalendo militia removed from Vikindwe to restore normalcy.

In a related development, the resumption of classes in Njiapanda, as requested by the sub-provincial education committee, has been relatively cautious. This tentative return to classes comes three weeks after classes were suspended at the request of civil society organisations in Manguredjipa.

On  Monday, Dec. 15, only a few students were present in several schools in the area. In Kambau, Mbunia Kisenge, the headmaster of a secondary school, reported that no students were attending school. He attributed this situation to the concerns and fears of parents regarding the security situation within the Bapakombe tribal group, which has been marked by repeated attacks on the population by fighters from the Union of Patriots for the Liberation of Congo (UPLC).

In Njiapanda, some schools located in the centre of town have cautiously resumed operations. However, schools on the outskirts have reported a high rate of student absences, even though several teachers are present in the classrooms. Only the final year students are attending school.

Militia members associated with the Wazalendo are frequently accused of various abuses against civilians in Musienene and Baszagha. The main complaints from the people include looting, rape, arbitrary arrests, illegal tax collection, and the establishment of unauthorised roadblocks.

On Nov. 12, a young student was killed by gunshots during clashes between two factions of the Wazalendo militia at the Musimba market. Although these groups are considered allies of the Congolese army in its fight against Rwandan aggression, particularly in the conflict with the M23/AFC rebels, they are frequently accused of serious human rights abuses. Because they operate without proper oversight and often follow distinct commands, they frequently evade the attention of local authorities.

Due to the ongoing advance of M23/AFC rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), scores of displaced people have crossed into Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi, on Dec. 9.

Burundi is facing a major surge in refugees as families escape ongoing conflict. The unexpected influx, which includes individuals with ties to armed groups, has raised fears of a security and humanitarian crisis in the country. The chaotic situation at the South Kivu border sees both civilians and armed personnel caught up in the turmoil.

Refugees from Luvungi, Katogota, Bwegera, Luberizi, Mutarule, and Sange of the DRC crossed the border en masse at the Kaburantwa bridge under construction, on the 6th avenue in the Buganda zone of Bukinanyana district. According to local Burundian media, the rout of armed groups and regular forces allowed armed fighters to blend into the crowd.

On Dec. 8, joint operations conducted by Burundian soldiers, Congolese Wazalendo militias, and Rwandan rebels resulted in the seizure of weapons and uniforms, and the arrest of men suspected of being infiltrated fighters. These operations took place in Kansega, in the border area of ​​Ndava, Bukinanyana district.

Burundi has also accused the M23 rebels of conducting a bombing attack within its territory, signalling an increase in regional tensions, despite several peace agreements. The militant actions by the rebels continue despite the ratification of the Washington peace accord signed between DR Congo, the M23/AFC rebels, and Rwanda under the Trump administration.

Despite facing strong resistance from the DR Congo national army, the M23/AFC rebels, with support from Rwanda, continue to advance on the ground toward the capture of the city of Uvira in South Kivu, which has become the province’s provisional capital.

The two main parties involved in the conflict in the eastern Congo, the Kinshasa government and the M23/AFC rebels, previously signed a framework agreement. This agreement aimed to initiate new discussions on the underlying causes of the conflict and, eventually, to reach a comprehensive peace accord to restore normalcy in North Kivu and South Kivu. 

Despite multiple meetings with the mediator and several signed documents, including mechanisms for prisoner exchange and cease-fire verification, the measures have not yet been implemented. 

Kinshasa officials accuse Kigali of continuing to support M23/AFC rebels, violating the Washington Accords.