New changes in eastern Democratic Congo, with rebels advancing in one of the main cities, after relative calm since the signing of an American-brokered peace agreement between Kinshasa and Rwanda last December.
Armed anti-government fighters advanced after launching an attack in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to local and security sources, after the confrontation lines had remained relatively stable since the signing of a US-brokered peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda last December, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.
The army spokesman in the region, Dieudonné Kasirika, told the agency on Monday that the town of Kambale, located several kilometers from Bunyakiri, was “under enemy control.”
According to a civil society representative who spoke to Agence France-Presse and requested to remain anonymous, “a large portion of the population remained in their homes,” while many fled to areas under government control.
Walikale, located about 140 kilometers from Bunyakiri, is a strategic crossroads leading to the west of the country, and one of the main bases of the Congolese army in North Kivu province.
This move is an extension of an attack launched by the “Front for the Reconstruction of the Nation” in South Kivu Province, and advanced about 50 kilometers along a main road northwest towards the strategic town of Walikale.
The “March 23” movement, which changed its name last month to the “Front for the Reconstruction of the Nation,” has controlled large areas of eastern Democratic Congo, which is rich in precious metals, since resuming arms in 2021.
The rebels in the east of the country, who aim to overthrow the Congolese government, appointed former President Joseph Kabila as their leader.
The renewed attacks and the accelerated progress of the rebels, especially the March 23 movement, constitute a devastating blow to the fragile periods of calm witnessed in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This field shift reflects a tactical shift by imposing a stifling siege on strategic cities and commercial supply routes, according to estimates by the Sudanese analyst specializing in African affairs, Muhammad Shams al-Din.
According to Shams al-Din, this progress carries “dangerous implications, as it reveals a qualitative development in the armament, logistical and operational capabilities of the rebels, which makes it likely that they have advanced support networks. This transformation also highlights the structural vulnerability of the Congolese army.”
Last June, new negotiations returned for the two neighbors, the Democratic Congo and Rwanda, under American, Qatari and African sponsorship, after about two months of stagnation in implementing the “peace track” sponsored by Washington and Doha last year, especially with the deterioration of the humanitarian situation with the spread of the “Ebola” virus in eastern Democratic Congo.
At that time, the Joint Supervisory Committee for the peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda held its sixth meeting in London, with the participation of representatives of the two countries, along with Qatar, the United States of America, Togo as the African Union mediator, and the African Union Commission.
The Democratic Congo did not succeed in achieving complete peace after rounds in 2025. US President Donald Trump and the presidents of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and the Democratic Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, signed in Washington, at the end of last year, an agreement that enhances the chances of peace and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The signing came after a series of understandings concluded in June 2025, in addition to the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which was signed by Kinshasa and the “March 23” movement on November 15 in Qatar, in completion of an agreement on July 19, while talks, the last of which was last April in Switzerland, did not result in progress.
Finally, Washington imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Ministry of Defense and a financial institution in this Central African country, against the backdrop of their supposed ties to the “March 23” armed movement fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Regarding the future opportunities for calm, Shams al-Din believes that “peace paths are facing a state of actual paralysis in light of the new data on the ground, especially since the continuation of confrontations has emptied the agreements of their content, in light of a deep crisis of mistrust.”
It is likely that “Kinshasa tends towards a military solution rather than direct negotiation with entities that it classifies as armed and rebellious, while these movements use their field gains as a pressure card to impose political and economic conditions related to the sharing of influence and wealth.”
He added to Asharq Al-Awsat that despite this stagnation, the chances of reviving the path of political settlement are the only realistic way out, as purely military and security options have proven historically insufficient in the complex terrain of eastern Congo.
He continues: “Reviving this path requires moving from simply engineering temporary security arrangements to addressing the deep roots of the conflict, such as crises of identity and citizenship, and the governance of exploitation of natural resources.” This also requires more assertive mediation, supported by monitoring mechanisms and binding sanctions that force all warring parties to adhere to a clear timetable for implementation.
He also asserts that “without activating strict accountability tools, and linking development paths to comprehensive security stability, international efforts will remain short of achieving a real breakthrough, leaving the region captive to a state of open geopolitical exhaustion.”
Armed anti-government fighters advanced after launching an attack in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, local and security sources said Monday.
The front lines have remained relatively stable since the signing of a US-brokered peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda in December.
Washington imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Ministry of Defense and a financial institution in this Central African country, against the backdrop of their supposed ties to the M23 armed movement fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The M23 movement, which changed its name last month to the “Front for the Reconstruction of the Nation,” has controlled large areas of eastern Democratic Congo, which is rich in precious metals, since resuming arms in 2021.
The rebels in the east of the country, who aim to overthrow the Congolese government, appointed former President Joseph Kabila as their leader.
On Friday evening, the “Front for the Reconstruction of the Nation” launched an attack in South Kivu Province, and advanced about 50 kilometers along a main road northwest towards the strategic town of Walikale, without reaching it, according to local and security sources.
The army spokesman in the region, Major Dieudonné Kasirika, told Agence France-Presse on Monday that the town of Kambale, located several kilometers from Bunyakiri, is “under enemy control.”
A civil society representative told the French Agency, requesting that his identity not be revealed, that “a large portion of the population remained in their homes,” while many fled to areas under government control.
Walikale, located about 140 kilometers from Bunyakiri, is a strategic crossroads leading to the west of the country, and one of the main bases of the Congolese army in North Kivu province.
