The M23 rebel group-a Rwandan-backed insurgency-has marched toward Uvira, a once tranquil base of more than 700,000 people that is now under serious threat of capture by the rebels, this after the seizure of Bukavu, Kamanyola, and Luvungi.
Fighting between Congolese forces and pro-government militias ignited rising fears among the local populace. One resident, Rehema, a mother of three, noted with great concern that it is women and children who normally suffer most during such violent incidents. She disclosed that her family has not slept in two days because of unending clashes and the inability of forces loyal to Congo to protect the people.
M23 is also functional while news trickles out that there are reports of looting and killing of civilians. Many are fleeing to neighboring Burundi, while the Congolese soldiers are discreetly being moved back. While South African and Burundian troops are here, the M23 proves to be operating.
This violence, spawning from the 1994 Rwandan genocide, saw the Hutus fleeing into the DRC. Rwanda has raised concerns over the presence of extremist groups in the region, but critics question this hypothesis’s veracity by suggesting that the country is looking for minerals, crucial to the supply chains of global technology.
This situation thus creates a very real humanitarian crisis, with civilians caught in the conflict while aid activities drip in.