M23 Rebels are bombing us everyday as the earthy smell of damp soil mixes with acrid smoke as 34-year-old Bénédicte clutches her toddler, fleeing yet another mortar attack near Sake. “We slept in the forest last night,” she whispers, her eyes hollow. “The earth shook like thunder.”
This is eastern DRC today: a humanitarian freefall as the M23 rebellion reignites with terrifying ferocity. Renewed clashes between Congolese forces (FARDC), local militias (Wazalendo), and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels (according to UN reports) have turned North Kivu into Africa’s most urgent crisis zone.
What’s Unfolding:
- Strategic Towns Under Fire: M23 fighters advanced within 15 km of Goma – home to 2 million people – capturing key supply routes. Over 250,000 civilians fled in June alone, overwhelming displacement camps.
- The Rwanda Factor: Satellite imagery analyzed by UN experts shows artillery positions inside Rwanda targeting FARDC units. “This isn’t insurgency; it’s interstate aggression,” insists Kinshasa. Kigali denies involvement.
- Resource War Reality: M23’s push threatens critical cobalt and coltan mines. Global tech firms nervously monitor supply chains as exports plunge 40%.
Voices from the Ground:
Dr. Jacques Mitima stitches wounds at a Goma clinic overflowing with shrapnel victims: “We’ve run out of blood bags. Children arrive with limbs torn off – not by accident, by design.”
Meanwhile, MONUSCO peacekeepers face rage from locals who accuse them of inaction. “They watch us die like a bad film,” spits a Wazalendo fighter near Masisi.
Why This Resurgence?
Regional analysts point to:
- Stalled Peace Talks: Last year’s Nairobi Process collapsed as mistrust festered.
- Political Vacuum: DRC’s delayed elections left security gaps.
- Regional Power Plays: Rwanda seeks leverage over resources and border security.
The Human Toll:
- 1,200+ killed since January (UN estimate)
- Cholera spreading in overcrowded camps
- Children recruited by armed groups
“This conflict feeds on our suffering,” says Bénédicte, now sheltering in a school-turned-camp. “When will the world see us?”
As regional leaders scramble for mediation, eastern DRC’s agony deepens – a stark reminder that some wars refuse to end.
