https://en.sputniknews.africa/20250215/m23-rebels-enter-bukavu-in-eastern-drc-after-seizing-international-airport-1070666374.html
M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu in Eastern DRC After Seizing International Airport
M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu in Eastern DRC After Seizing International Airport
Sputnik Africa
The M23 rebels, who have been advancing southward since capturing Goma late last month, continue to expand their territorial control. The takeover of Bukavu... 15.02.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-02-15T12:10+0100
2025-02-15T12:10+0100
2025-02-17T12:41+0100
m23 rebels offensive in dr congo (2025)
conflict
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felix tshisekedi
antonio guterres
democratic republic of the congo (drc)
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Rwandan-backed M23 rebels entered Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Friday, Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, which includes M23, told a Western media outlet.Earlier in the day, the Congolese army acknowledged that M23 fighters had seized control of Kavumu airport, located north of Bukavu, and confirmed that government troops had withdrawn with their equipment.Congolese army spokesperson Sylvain Ekenge reportedly stated that troops had retreated following the loss of the airport, though he did not disclose their new position. Witnesses reported seeing Congolese and Burundian soldiers withdrawing from Saio, Bukavu’s main military camp, earlier in the day, according to media reports.In response to the deteriorating security situation, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has decided to forgo the upcoming African Union summit in Ethiopia to focus on the crisis, a government source told a Western news agency. Tshisekedi has directly accused neighboring Rwanda of harboring expansionist ambitions and blamed it for fueling the conflict in eastern DRC.The growing instability has also prompted regional responses. Burundi has reportedly closed its border with the DRC due to an influx of refugees fleeing the violence, while Burundian peacekeepers continue to support Congolese forces in their fight against the rebels.International actors are also closely monitoring the situation. The European Union announced that it is “urgently” assessing potential responses to the escalating rebel offensive, highlighting concerns over the worsening crisis. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for restraint, urging all parties to respect the DRC’s territorial integrity to prevent the conflict from spilling over into a broader regional war.Speaking of diplomatic efforts, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, emphasized that military solutions alone cannot resolve the crisis and called for strict adherence to the ceasefire agreement established in August 2024 between Congolese forces and M23 in North Kivu. Though neither side has officially withdrawn from the agreement, fighting has continued.Legal action is also underway at the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, where the DRC has filed a lawsuit against Rwanda. The case accuses Kigali of human rights violations, border breaches, and mass killings in North Kivu since 2022. This marks the first time the court is handling a case in which one state is suing another.
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20250214/m23-rebels-capture-international-airport-near-bukavu-in-eastern-drc-1070654869.html
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M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu in Eastern DRC After Seizing International Airport
12:10 15.02.2025 (Updated: 12:41 17.02.2025) Christina Glazkova
Writer / Editor
The M23 rebels, who have been advancing southward since capturing Goma late last month, continue to expand their territorial control. The takeover of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, would be a major strategic gain for the group and further weaken the central government's authority in the region.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels entered Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Friday, Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, which includes M23, told a Western media outlet.
Earlier in the day, the Congolese army acknowledged that
M23 fighters had seized control of Kavumu airport, located north of Bukavu, and confirmed that government troops had withdrawn with their equipment.
Congolese army spokesperson Sylvain Ekenge reportedly stated that troops had retreated following the loss of the airport, though he did not disclose their new position. Witnesses reported seeing Congolese and Burundian soldiers withdrawing from Saio, Bukavu’s main military camp, earlier in the day, according to media reports.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, DRC President Felix
Tshisekedi has decided to forgo the upcoming African Union summit in Ethiopia to focus on the crisis, a government source told a Western news agency. Tshisekedi has directly accused neighboring Rwanda of harboring expansionist ambitions and blamed it for fueling the conflict in eastern DRC.
The growing instability has also prompted regional responses.
Burundi has reportedly closed its border with the DRC due to an influx of refugees fleeing the violence, while Burundian peacekeepers continue to support Congolese forces in their fight against the rebels.
International actors are also closely monitoring the situation. The European Union announced that it is “urgently” assessing potential responses to the escalating rebel offensive, highlighting concerns over the worsening crisis. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for restraint, urging all parties to respect the DRC’s territorial integrity to prevent the conflict from spilling over into a broader regional war.
Speaking of diplomatic efforts, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, emphasized that military solutions alone cannot resolve the crisis and called for strict adherence to the
ceasefire agreement established in August 2024 between Congolese forces and M23 in North Kivu. Though neither side has officially withdrawn from the agreement, fighting has continued.
Legal action is also underway at the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, where the DRC has
filed a lawsuit against Rwanda. The case accuses Kigali of human rights violations, border breaches, and mass killings in North Kivu since 2022. This marks the first time the court is handling a case in which one state is suing another.
