Congo’s army and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels are strengthening military positions along the volatile eastern border, blaming each other for breaches of peace agreements in an escalation that experts warn could reignite the region’s long-running conflict.
The M23 rebels seized two major cities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier this year, marking the most serious challenge to Kinshasa in two decades. The offensive prompted fears of a wider regional war, with neighboring armies taking sides.
Since then, a series of U.S. and Qatari-led negotiations have sought to stabilize the situation. However, experts told Reuters that these talks have been undermined by rushed deadlines and reliance on older agreements brokered by African mediators before trust could be built between the factions.
The rebels are demanding the release of prisoners and a power-sharing deal in the territories they control, while President Felix Tshisekedi’s government has refused to cede authority or hand over detainees, according to officials interviewed by Reuters.
Both sides are deploying hundreds of troops to multiple frontline towns in Congo’s eastern provinces bordering Rwanda and Burundi. The U.N. and human rights groups have documented ongoing atrocities, including summary killings, torture, and rape, despite preliminary peace agreements signed in Washington and Doha.
In June, U.S. mediators reached a deal aimed at curbing Rwandan support for M23, while a parallel Qatari-led effort to formalize an agreement between Kinshasa and the rebels missed its August deadline. A Qatari spokesperson and the U.S. State Department did not respond to requests for comment.
“Broken promises, fragile implementation, and deep mistrust are holding back any progress,” said Kristof Titeca, a University of Antwerp professor specializing in Congo. “All this creates what looks like a never-ending vicious circle.”
The conflict’s roots trace back to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, which triggered successive wars in Congo that have killed and displaced millions, according to the U.N. M23, formed to protect Congo’s Tutsi population, has been accused by Kinshasa of acting as a proxy for Rwanda to exploit Congo’s mineral wealth, including gold and coltan. Rwanda denies direct support for the rebels.
M23 currently fields an estimated 14,000 troops, including 9,000 newly trained recruits. Key flashpoints include Uvira on Lake Tanganyika and Walikale, a tin-rich town where the government has hired foreign security contractors.
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, including a 2024 Angola-brokered deal and U.S.-led negotiations, fighting persists. Some limited progress has been made, such as M23’s temporary withdrawal from Walikale in March under U.S. pressure.
On August 30, Tshisekedi questioned the need for external mediation, prompting M23 to accuse the government of violating the ceasefire. A Congolese presidential official later clarified that the government remains committed to U.S. and Qatari-led peace efforts.
As violence continues and deadlines for implementing international agreements loom, the eastern DRC faces an uncertain future, with humanitarian consequences mounting for millions of civilians caught in the crossfire.
