Ceasefire efforts falter as M23 rebels capture centre in South Kivu

Kinshasa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A ceasefire order issued by East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state has hit a major obstacle after M23 rebels captured the Kahele Centre, located 40 kilometers from Bukavu City in the South Kivu province of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The M23 rebels took control of Kahele on Wednesday following fierce clashes with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers and their allies. Rebels later released images showing their fighters occupying the center. Fighting was also reported in the nearby Ihusi area, raising concerns about the safety of Bukavu City. According to local sources, the capture of Kahele brings the city within the rebels’ reach, sparking fears of its eventual fall into their hands.

Nestor Mavudisa Kamba Mayoyo, the FARDC’s 3rd Defense Zone Communications Coordinator, released a statement on Wednesday night, accusing the M23 rebels and their AFC auxiliaries of attacking FARDC positions in Ihusi, Kalehe Centre, and other areas like Ndoluma and Lubanga in North Kivu province. Mayoyo condemned the actions as a violation of the ceasefire order.

Meanwhile, tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda continue to escalate. On Wednesday, DR Congo announced a ban on Rwandan air traffic, effectively closing its airspace to Rwanda’s national airline. Rwanda confirmed the ban and stated that it was exploring ways to resolve the matter.

The ongoing threat from the M23 rebels to capture Bukavu and Kavumu airport casts doubt on whether the ceasefire agreed upon by the EAC and SADC heads of state during their joint summit in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday will be respected. The M23 insurgency, which reignited in 2022 under the leadership of Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga, has continued to disrupt the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Since the insurgency resumed, vast regions have been controlled by the rebels. In August 2024, Bisimwa and Makenga allied with Nangaa, further intensifying their insurgency against the DRC government. DR Congo’s government has consistently accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, a claim that both Rwanda and the M23 leadership strongly deny. The rebels maintain that their struggle is against corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination within the leadership of DR Congo.

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