Roughly 200,000 people have been forced from their homes in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as Rwanda-linked M23 rebels pushed toward the strategic lakeside town of Uvira, authorities and residents said. The surge came days after Rwandan and Congolese leaders signed a US- and Qatari-brokered agreement in Washington intended to stop the fighting.
The UN said at least 74 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the recent escalation and 83 were treated in hospital for conflict-related injuries. Local officials and residents reported clashes between M23 fighters and Congolese army units, along with local defence groups known as Wazalendo, in villages north of Uvira on the Burundi border.
On 4 December, President Trump hosted a ceremony in Washington marking the pact, which he hailed as bringing an end to a long-running conflict. Despite the agreement, rebels continued to press toward Uvira. South Kivu provincial spokesman Didier Kabi described initial chaos in the town after reports of rebel closeness, though he said calm was later restored.
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Alliance Fleuve Congo rebel coalition, said M23 advanced on Uvira after coming under attack by government forces and urged soldiers not to abandon the town. M23 commander Bertrand Bisimwa reiterated the group’s stated support for Qatari-led talks in Doha, calling negotiations the only solution and urging Kinshasa to come to the table even as rebels conduct counterattacks.
Fighting intensified along key approaches in recent days: the rebels seized Luvungi, a frontline town, and fierce clashes continued near Sange and Kiliba on the road toward Uvira. Rwanda denies supporting M23, but both the US and the UN say they have evidence of Rwandan backing. Before this latest upsurge, the conflict had already displaced at least 1.2 million people.
The US State Department said it was deeply concerned by the renewed violence and warned: “Rwanda, which continues to provide support to M23, must prevent further escalation.” Humanitarian and security observers warn that continued fighting risks further mass displacement and civilian casualties unless the parties return to talks and commitments in the recent accord are enforced.