Bukavu remained calm after M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, moved into the eastern Congolese city with little resistance from government forces. The situation has raised fears of a wider regional conflict and potential impacts on DR Congo's vital mineral exports.
Bukavu was quiet on Sunday as M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Rwanda, entered the eastern Congolese city with minimal resistance from government troops, according to eyewitnesses and statements from the rebel group.
The Congolese government accused Rwanda of ignoring calls for a ceasefire but did not confirm whether M23 had fully taken control of Bukavu.
Rwanda rejects allegations from Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations, and Western powers that thousands of its troops are fighting alongside the Tutsi-led M23. It says it is defending itself against the threat from a Hutu militia, which it says is fighting with the Congolese military.
While the situation appeared largely calm, verified footage showed smoke rising from Bukavu's central prison.
Congolese troops have withdrawn from the city to avoid fighting in densely populated areas, South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi told Reuters in a message, in which he also confirmed M23's arrival in Bukavu.
"They're in my residence already ... and my office," he said, adding that he and his team were safe elsewhere.
The gradual departure of Congolese and allied Burundian troops from Bukavu in recent days led to a power vacuum, triggering looting and a prison break on Saturday.
Since capturing Goma in late January, the rebels targeted Bukavu, a key commercial hub.
The group's recent gains in North and South Kivu provinces mean it has captured more territory than all other rebellions since the end of two major wars that ran from 1996 to 2003. These advances have also handed them control of some of the region's valuable mineral deposits.
DR Congo is the world’s leading cobalt producer and is a major copper supplier but faces growing concerns of the conflict's impact on crucial mineral exports.
The rebels' rapid advance this year, along with the involvement of troops from nearby countries, has raised fears of a regional conflict. These concerns are linked to old disputes over power, identity, and resources dating back to the 1990s Rwandan genocide.
The insurgency has deepened an already dire humanitarian crisis in eastern provinces. The "rapidly deteriorating" situation has left about 350,000 displaced people with no roof over their heads, the U.N. refugee agency warned on Friday.
The well-equipped M23 is the latest in a long line of ethnic Tutsi-led rebel movements to emerge in Congo's volatile east. It denies Congo's allegations it is a Rwandan proxy.
Rwanda has expressed support for the M23 rebel group's decision to withdraw from the strategic mining town of Walikale in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and for the DRC's commitment to halting hostilities as part of ongoing peace efforts.
Rebel leader Corneille Nangaa rejects a ceasefire call in east Congo, vowing to fight until their cause is heard. He condemns a proposed U.S. minerals-for-security deal as "treachery" while M23 fighters advance deeper into Congolese territory, seizing strategic towns.
Rwanda is reportedly seeking a £50 million payment—approximately $63.6 million—from Britain over a cancelled asylum deal, according to a source close to the Rwandan government.
As Rwanda-backed M23 rebels make significant territorial gains in eastern Congo, the U.N. Security Council has met in an urgent session, warning of the risk of a wider regional war.
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Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
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Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his upcoming reciprocal tariffs will apply to all nations, rather than just targeting the 10 to 15 countries with the largest trade imbalances. Trump plans to unveil the tariff package on Wednesday, calling it “Liberation Day.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attempting to back out of a critical minerals deal, warning that such a move would bring serious repercussions.
Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has warned of public unrest if elections are not held by December, following remarks from interim leader Muhammad Yunus suggesting a possible delay until 2026.
Over 300,000 Canadians were left without power on Sunday as a severe ice storm battered parts of Ontario, according to electricity provider Hydro One. The storm brought freezing rain and ice pellets over the weekend, with power outages continuing into Monday morning in some regions.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is awaiting a critical court ruling on Monday that could determine her political future. Le Pen, head of the National Rally (RN), faces accusations of embezzling over 3 million euros ($3.3 million) of European Parliament funds to pay France-based staff.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his upcoming reciprocal tariffs will apply to all nations, rather than just targeting the 10 to 15 countries with the largest trade imbalances. Trump plans to unveil the tariff package on Wednesday, calling it “Liberation Day.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attempting to back out of a critical minerals deal, warning that such a move would bring serious repercussions.
Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has warned of public unrest if elections are not held by December, following remarks from interim leader Muhammad Yunus suggesting a possible delay until 2026.
Over 300,000 Canadians were left without power on Sunday as a severe ice storm battered parts of Ontario, according to electricity provider Hydro One. The storm brought freezing rain and ice pellets over the weekend, with power outages continuing into Monday morning in some regions.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is awaiting a critical court ruling on Monday that could determine her political future. Le Pen, head of the National Rally (RN), faces accusations of embezzling over 3 million euros ($3.3 million) of European Parliament funds to pay France-based staff.
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