Renewed clashes in DR Congo, M23 rebels injure UN peacekeepers

A resurgence of violence has erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), as clashes between government forces and M23 rebels reignited, leaving eight UN peacekeepers wounded, according to a statement by the United Nations.

The conflict escalated on Saturday in the strategic town of Sake, located 20 kilometers west of the provincial capital Goma in North Kivu province.

UN mission head, Bintou Keita, reported that one peacekeeper was severely injured during the attack, which marked a departure from several days of relative calm in the region.

Eyewitnesses confirmed the resumption of hostilities in the area, with fighting reportedly initiated by the M23 rebels following an assault by “Wazalendo” militia aligned with the Congolese army. The peacekeepers sustained injuries when M23 shells struck their camp in Sake’s Mubambiro district, according to a Congolese security source.

The M23, a Tutsi-led movement, recently launched a fresh offensive approximately 70 kilometers from Goma, extending its control over territories in Rutshuru and Masisi.

This resurgence of the M23 rebellion, dormant for eight years before reigniting in late 2021, has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people in North Kivu alone.

UN Secretary-General’s special representative in DR Congo, Bintou Keita, underscored the ongoing joint operations between the army and peacekeepers deployed in North Kivu under Operation Springbok, aimed at restoring stability to the region.

Accusations have been leveled against Rwandan forces for targeting the UN position during the clashes, although Kigali denies supporting the M23 rebels, a claim contested by Kinshasa, the United Nations, and Western nations.

The recent escalation comes amid the withdrawal of the 15,000-strong UN peacekeeping force from DR Congo, at the request of the Kinshasa government, which deems their presence ineffective. The withdrawal, initiated in late February, is expected to conclude by the end of the year, leaving a security vacuum in the conflict-ridden region.

As tensions persist and violence escalates, the humanitarian crisis in DR Congo continues to deepen, with nearly seven million people displaced nationwide, including 2.5 million in North Kivu alone, as estimated by the United Nations at the end of 2023.