DRC fighting forces 200,000 people to flee as M23 advances, dozens killed

The United Nations says about 200,000 people have fled renewed fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advanced on the strategic city of Uvira in South Kivu. Local authorities and residents reported heavy shelling and gunfire, with at least 74 people killed in recent days as the rebels captured several strongholds.

The offensive comes just a week after the presidents of DRC and Rwanda signed a US-mediated peace agreement in Washington. The deal, which excluded the rebels, requires Rwanda to halt support for armed groups, but both sides have accused each other of violating previous ceasefire commitments. Reporters in Goma say Congolese troops have retreated by boat toward Tanganyika province, leaving no visible military presence in Uvira.

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Civil society groups and local officials say thousands of civilians are fleeing south toward Burundi as gunfire continues in the city. The M23 group is fighting Congolese forces and allied Wazalendo militias across villages north of Uvira, while soldiers have also been seen looting government offices as they withdrew.

International pressure is growing, with the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes warning that the latest M23 offensive risks destabilising the wider region. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa reiterated support for Doha-led peace talks, while the DRC president accused Rwanda of violating its commitments under the Washington accord.