DAKAR, Senegal — Residents in eastern Congo reported that rebels supported by Rwanda seemed to be advancing towards a third significant city, as the international community reacted to the escalating situation involving the M23 group. This region, rich in minerals essential for global technology, has become critical amid urgent calls for intervention.
On Tuesday, the M23 launched assaults on key positions held by the Congolese army along the route to Butembo, a city with a population of around 150,000. Auguste Kombi, a leader in the local civil society, expressed concerns about the rebels’ advance, saying, “We’re afraid that the enemy will advance to Butembo.”
Butembo lies approximately 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of Goma, a larger city of over 2 million that fell to the M23 last month during a violent conflict that reportedly claimed about 3,000 lives. The rebels’ thrust towards Butembo indicates their territorial expansion both northward and southward of Goma. Recently, they also took control of another city, Bukavu, situated south of Goma and close to the border of Burundi. This area is abundant in gold and coltan, a pivotal mineral utilized in manufacturing electronic devices like laptops and smartphones.
Additionally, the M23 captured the town of Kamanyola, located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of Bukavu, after facing resistance from local Congolese troops. Steve Mubalama, a representative from the area, voiced worries that the group might push further southward towards the strategically significant city of Uvira.
The M23 stands out among more than 100 armed factions struggling for control over eastern Congo’s vast mineral resources. According to U.N. experts, they are backed by around 4,000 Rwandan soldiers and have announced ambitions to advance all the way to Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, which lies more than 1,000 miles away.
Kambale Nyuliro, a civil servant from Kitsombiro, also voiced concerns, stating, “We’re worried because we’re in danger of experiencing a situation similar to that in Goma, with the loss of human lives.” He reported that the town of Lubero is surrounded on three sides by M23 fighters, though it remains under the control of the Congolese military. “Since the fighting began, the enemy has only advanced,” he noted.
Analysts indicate that the M23 may be seeking political power, differing from their earlier brief takeover of Goma in 2012. Recently, the rebel-appointed mayor of Goma announced plans to conduct a census, signaling their intention to sustain governance over the city. Meanwhile, ferry services between Goma and Bukavu resumed, the only current means of transportation between the two cities.
Rwanda has accused Congo of enlisting Hutu fighters involved in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The M23 claims to be fighting for the protection of Tutsis and Congolese individuals of Rwandan descent against discrimination and aims to transform Congo into a stable state, though analysts argue these claims are merely justifications for Rwandan involvement.
In response to these developments, the U.K. Foreign Office summoned the Rwandan ambassador in London, issuing a statement denouncing the gains made by the rebels as “an unacceptable violation of (Congo’s) sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The statement further demanded that the Rwandan government immediately withdraw all its military forces from Congolese soil.
No response from Rwanda was available immediately after the statement. The ongoing unrest in eastern Congo has led to the displacement of over 6 million people, culminating in what has been termed the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The M23’s northern advance positions them close to Uganda, which on Tuesday announced the deployment of troops to another city in eastern Congo, Bunia, asserting that this action was intended to combat armed group violence. Uganda has previously deployed forces in Congo in agreement with the Kinshasa government during periods of escalating turmoil.
On the same day, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights accused the Rwanda-supported rebels of committing grave violations, including the killing of children and attacks on hospitals and humanitarian aid warehouses. Volker Türk reported that his office had verified instances of summary executions of children carried out by the M23 since they entered Bukavu last week, and mentioned that children had been found in possession of weapons.
The specifics of these allegations were not detailed, but previous reports from U.N. agencies have indicated that both the M23 and the Congolese government forces have been involved in child recruitment. Furthermore, the U.N. Human Rights Council has initiated a commission to examine atrocities, including sexual violence and killings resembling “summary executions,” committed by both parties in the ongoing conflict.
