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Congolese troops have withdrawn from the city to avoid fighting in densely populated areas, South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi told Reuters in a message, in which he also confirmed M23's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.
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Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday accused Rwanda of failing to uphold its commitments under a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending years of conflict in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
President Ilham Aliyev and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame had a one-on-one meeting in Baku, as Kagame pays a working visit to Azerbaijan.
Rwanda on Friday denied claims that M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Kigali, massacred hundreds of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, calling the accusations “unfounded” and lacking credible evidence.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Heavy snow continued to batter northern and western Japan on Saturday (31 January) leaving cities buried under record levels of snowfall and prompting warnings from authorities. Aomori city in northern Japan recorded 167 centimetres of snow by Friday - the highest January total since 1945.
A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concerns among residents and local businesses.
Paris prosecutors have summoned X chairman Elon Musk and former chief executive Linda Yaccarino for questioning in April as part of their probe into the X social media network, they said on Tuesday.
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Emergency teams in eastern China are racing to locate survivors after a bridge under construction collapsed in Jiangsu province, leaving two people dead and three missing.
Mexico said it will stop sending oil to Cuba as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Caribbean nation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 3rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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