The M23 armed group has made significant advances in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), seizing control of key cities like Goma and Bukavu in North and South Kivu provinces. This escalation comes as the group, which is reportedly backed by Rwanda, has pushed further into the mineral-rich regions of the country.
Recent reports indicate that the M23 has captured Nyabiondo village, located about 100 kilometers north of Goma. This area is crucial as it leads to Walikale, a strategic town in North Kivu. According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Walikale is vital for the DRC government because it hosts the only industrial mine that generates substantial tax revenue.
In a troubling development for government forces, the Group Kabido, an allied armed group that has been active in eastern DRC for decades, announced its decision to join the M23. This group has been fighting alongside the DRC army for the past three years but has now aligned itself with the M23, citing dissatisfaction with the Kinshasa government’s management.
This shift highlights a growing disarray within the DRC army, which is struggling to maintain control as the M23 exploits the situation. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that the violence has led to attacks on hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. Recent fighting in the Masisi district resulted in the deaths of at least four civilians, with over 100,000 people newly displaced in Lubero.
The DRC government is responding to the crisis by offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of M23 leaders Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa, and Sultani Makenga. These individuals have been tried in absentia and sentenced to death for their roles in the ongoing conflict. The government is also offering a $4 million bounty for information on their accomplices.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 7,000 people have lost their lives in the fighting, a significant number of whom are civilians. The M23 is one of over 200 armed groups operating in eastern DRC, all vying for control of the region’s rich mineral resources. After a period of dormancy, the M23 resumed its activities in 2021 and has rapidly expanded its territory, raising concerns about stability in the region.
Accusations have been made against Rwanda for supporting the M23, a claim that the Rwandan government denies. As the situation continues to evolve, the humanitarian crisis deepens, affecting countless lives in the region.