Violence has surged once again in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), just a day after leaders from the DRC and Rwanda signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal in Washington aimed at ending decades of conflict. The clashes involve the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group and Congolese government forces, both of which have traded blame for the renewed hostilities.
The M23 group reported that 23 people were killed and several others wounded in bombardments by the DRC army. Spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka stated on social media platform X that Congolese forces and allied units carried out attacks on densely populated areas in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces using fighter jets, drones, and heavy artillery. Kanyuka also claimed that two bombs, allegedly launched from Burundi on Thursday evening, struck near Kamanyola town, resulting in four deaths and serious injuries to two civilians.
Earlier this year, the M23 rebels seized control of Goma and Bukavu, the two largest cities in eastern DRC, and remain outside the jurisdiction of the newly signed U.S. peace deal. A senior, unnamed M23 official told Reuters that the rebels had retaken Luberika and shot down a Congolese army drone. Meanwhile, the DRC army confirmed ongoing clashes along the Kaziba, Katogota, and Rurambo axis in South Kivu, with local populations being displaced due to artillery and bombardments.
Rwandan authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The flare-up coincides with diplomatic efforts by U.S. officials to stabilize the region. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame reaffirmed their commitments during the Washington ceremony to the June agreement, which seeks to promote peace, facilitate investment, and curb cross-border violence. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who hosted the event, described the deal as “settling a war that’s been going on for decades.”
Despite diplomatic interventions, analysts warn that the agreement has yet to address the underlying tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, leaving eastern provinces vulnerable to renewed conflict. The latest violence prompted mass displacement, with over 700 Congolese civilians, primarily women and children, crossing into Rwanda. Local authorities in Rusizi district have set up transit centers providing basic assistance, including food and bedding.
Footage circulating on social media shows families moving across the Bugarama-Kamanyola border post, often carrying livestock and personal belongings. Between July and October, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that more than 123,600 people were displaced in the DRC due to armed clashes, land conflicts, and natural hazards, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
