Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have advanced towards the outskirts of Uvira in South Kivu on Tuesday, December 9, deepening an already volatile security crisis in eastern Congo and displacing more than 200,000 people since 2 December.
The latest escalation comes barely a week after Congo and Rwanda signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in Washington, although the pact did not include M23. Reports from local civil society indicate that government troops have fled parts of the city, sparking panic among residents, while Congolese military sources confirm soldiers are retreating towards the Burundian border. The U.N. and humanitarian agencies warn of rising casualties, cross-border shelling, and civilians fleeing into Burundi, underscoring the fragile regional dynamics.
International concern is mounting as the offensive threatens to destabilise the wider Great Lakes region. The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes has urged restraint, highlighting the proximity of fighting to Burundi and the risk of spillover. Kinshasa and Kigali continue to trade blame over ceasefire violations, even as U.N. experts estimate that Rwanda continues to deploy around 4,000 troops in support of the rebels. With more than 7 million people already displaced across eastern Congo, the renewed hostilities — including M23’s earlier seizure of Goma and Bukavu — signal a deepening humanitarian and security crisis despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.