Congo : M23 rebels reach Bukavu as Museveni’s son threatens attack on  another town

Tensions escalated in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday as M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, advanced toward the outskirts of Bukavu. Meanwhile, a warning from Uganda’s top military commander to attack a Congolese town has heightened fears of the conflict spilling into a broader regional crisis.

The rebel group has been steadily pushing south since capturing Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, at the end of last month.

On Saturday, a warehouse belonging to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Bukavu was looted, according to a spokesperson. The facility had contained 6,800 metric tons of food supplies.

“The stolen supplies would deepen the difficulties faced by those in need,” said WFP spokesperson Claude Kalinga, who noted that operations had already been suspended due to ongoing instability.

Residents reported sporadic gunfire overnight, though they attributed the shooting to looters rather than direct combat.

Corneille Nangaa, who leads a rebel coalition that includes M23, stated on Friday night that their forces had entered Bukavu and planned to extend their operations within the city. However, conflicting reports emerged regarding their exact position. Some residents of Bagira, a northern suburb, confirmed seeing rebels in the streets, while others—including Congolese military officers—said the group had not yet reached the city center.

A military source noted that Congolese troops were being withdrawn from certain areas to prevent the kind of “carnage” seen in Goma, where approximately 3,000 people were killed prior to the city’s fall, according to UN estimates.

Eyewitnesses observed Congolese soldiers in Bukavu on Saturday, with reports indicating they had set fire to an army weapons depot, an action corroborated by multiple residents and a military official.

The fall of Bukavu—home to around two million people—would mark a major expansion of M23’s territorial control, further undermining Kinshasa’s authority in the resource-rich eastern region.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, issued an ultimatum via social media, threatening to launch an attack on Bunia unless “all forces” in the town surrendered their weapons within 24 hours.

The general, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has raised concerns that the Great Lakes region could be on the brink of a larger war, reminiscent of past conflicts that left millions dead in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Since 2021, Uganda has been supporting the Congolese army in its fight against Islamist militants in the east, deploying an additional 1,000 troops earlier this year. However, UN experts have also accused Uganda of backing M23 rebels.

At an African Union summit in Addis Ababa on Saturday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for renewed dialogue between all warring factions. Despite regional leaders urging direct negotiations, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has consistently refused to engage with M23, instead sending his prime minister to represent the country at the summit.

Tshisekedi returned to Kinshasa on Saturday morning after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany the previous day.

Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting M23, and President Paul Kagame reiterated his stance on social media, stating, “Rwanda has nothing to do with Congo’s problems.”

The United States has warned of potential sanctions targeting officials from both Rwanda and Congo, while the European Union announced it is considering all available measures to safeguard Congo’s sovereignty.

(REUTERS)