The second-largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bukavu, has been overrun by M23 rebels backed by Rwanda, who have taken control of the regional governor’s office.
As the fighters drove and marched into the city center without encountering any opposition, some locals lined the streets to applaud and cheer them on. After Goma, it is the second city in the mineral-rich area to fall to the rebels in recent weeks.
Residents are being advised to remain indoors “to avoid being targeted by the occupying forces” by the Congolese government, which has admitted its collapse.
The most recent offensive has displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, and the United Nations and European nations have warned that it may lead to a wider regional conflict.
The main airport in Bukavu, which is located roughly 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of the city, was taken by the M23 on Friday. The M23 then started to move slowly in the direction of the city, which serves as the provincial seat of South Kivu.
By Sunday morning, the militants were in the heart of Bukavu city, according to provincial governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, who told the Reuters news agency that Congolese military had left the area to prevent fighting in the city.
Because of this, there was a security void in the city on Saturday, and there were tumultuous events taking place, including a rumored prison break from the central prison.
A warehouse containing about 7,000 tonnes of food was looted, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
The two-million-person city on the southern shore of Lake Kivu, which shares a border with Rwanda, serves as a major hub for the local mineral trade.
Its collapse is a setback to President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration and marks an unparalleled territorial expansion for the M23 since the commencement of their most recent insurrection in late 2021.
According to government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, Rwanda’s expansionist aspirations and violations of human rights constitute a breach of the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kigali disputes the Congolese government’s accusations that Rwanda is causing disorder in the area and stationing troops there in order to profit from its natural wealth.
In light of the recent turmoil, President Tshisekedi wants Paul Kagame, his counterpart in Rwanda, to be subject to sanctions.
However, President Kagame has disregarded these warnings and has stated time and time again that Rwanda’s security is its top priority.
He has long been incensed at what he perceives to be the Congolese government’s inability to address the FLDR rebel group, which is based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and poses a threat to Rwanda.
The group is composed of certain ethnic Hutu militia members who are accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which claimed the lives of some 800,000 people, mostly members of the Tutsi ethnic group, over the course of 100 days.
On Sunday, troops from the Tusti-led M23 assembled at the Place de l’Indépendance in the heart of Bukavu. One of the group’s commanders, Bernard Byamungu, was shown on camera speaking to residents and responding to their inquiries in Swahili.
He called for the surrender of government personnel “hiding in houses” and charged that the departing military was inciting fear by arming local youngsters who had gone on a looting frenzy.
The M23 was once again encouraged to disarm by the African Union (AU), which is hosting a heads of state summit in Ethiopia this weekend.
