The M23 rebellion continues to advance in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, seizing new localities on the northern front of the conflict with government forces, according to a local source this Sunday.
The M23, short for “March 23 Movement,” has deployed in the town of Kirumba, located in North Kivu province, a region plagued by violence since the Rwandan-backed rebellion took up arms again in 2021. Kirumba, the largest town in the south of Lubero territory and a major commercial center, is home to more than 120,000 people.
A local administrative official, speaking on condition of anonymity, regretted that Kirumba has been in the hands of the M23 since Saturday evening, mentioning that they carried out a reconnaissance of the terrain before being visible in the center. The rebels are now heading towards the north of the locality.
On Saturday, the key town of Kanyabayonga, located 25 km away and home to more than 60,000 people and tens of thousands of displaced people, also fell to the rebels. Located about 100 km north of the provincial capital Goma, Kanyabayonga controls access to the towns of Butembo and Beni, important for the Nande tribe and major commercial centres of the country.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi convened a Defense Council on Saturday before declaring, on the occasion of Independence Day, that clear instructions had been given for the safeguarding of territorial integrity, without giving further details. Other towns near Kanyabayonga have also been taken by the rebels, according to security sources and local officials.
Since late 2021, the M23, a Congolese rebellion that is predominantly Tutsi, has conquered large swathes of North Kivu with the support of the Rwandan army, almost completely surrounding Goma. Congolese authorities accuse Rwanda of wanting to seize the wealth of eastern Congo, which Kigali denies. So far, diplomatic initiatives to resolve the crisis have not been successful.
