Fall of Bukavu: M23 and Rwandan Allied Forces Enter Key City in Eastern Congo
Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo – On Sunday, February 16, columns of M23 fighters, allied with Rwandan troops, entered the city of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Their arrival was met with applause from some residents who took to the streets.
The rebel group had entered the outskirts of Bukavu on Friday evening, shortly after seizing control of the provincial airport located about 30 kilometers away. The fall of the city of one million inhabitants, which occurred without resistance from Congolese armed forces (FARDC), gives the M23 and its Rwandan ally complete control of Lake Kivu, following the capture of Goma, the capital of neighboring North Kivu province, in late January.
In the ongoing conflict that has lasted for over three years, Kinshasa accuses Kigali of seeking to control the extraction and trade of minerals used in batteries and electronic devices, as well as attempting to seize land for agriculture and livestock farming. Rwanda denies these allegations and claims that its security is threatened by armed groups in the region, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), formed by former Hutu leaders responsible for the Rwandan Tutsi genocide.
Mixed Reactions from Residents
As M23 fighters entered the center of Bukavu on Sunday morning, they were greeted with applause from residents gathered along the streets and on balconies. Near the border crossing with Rwanda, some chanted, "We’ve been waiting for you. We need change in this country. We want jobs." Others posed for photos with the "liberators," as they called them. From a pickup truck stopped in the street, an M23 officer urged civilians to "collaborate by reporting any hiding places of the enemy."
Mass Exodus and Looting
Since Friday, thousands of people have fled to neighboring Burundi by crossing the Ruzizi River. "Thousands of Congolese refugees have fled because they panicked upon learning that the city of Bukavu had been taken," Martin Niteretse, Burundian Interior Minister, told AFP. A source from an NGO reported that at least 10,000 refugees had arrived since Friday evening.
Most of the Congolese armed forces had abandoned Bukavu on Friday, leaving behind weapons that were subsequently looted by civilians and bandits. With military and civilian authorities gone, the city was exposed to looting at nightfall and throughout Saturday. Groups of bandits and militiamen, mostly in civilian clothes, continued to roam Bukavu’s streets on Saturday night, plundering stores, while the vast majority of residents remained indoors.
M23 Demands and International Reactions
On Saturday, the M23 had issued a statement, expecting the Bukavu population to create "vigilance committees to ensure security." The rebel group also demanded the "immediate withdrawal" of Burundian soldiers supporting the Congolese army in the province.
On Sunday, gunfire could still be heard in some neighborhoods, including near a military base in the city. "M23 fighters are pursuing a few remaining soldiers and civilians involved in looting," a resident from a nearby neighborhood said over the phone.
The recent escalation of the conflict has prompted growing calls from the international community for de-escalation and a ceasefire, which have so far fallen on deaf ears, amid fears of a regional war.
African Union and UN Warnings
The African Union (AU) warned on Sunday against a "balkanization" of the country after the entry of M23 fighters and Rwandan troops into Bukavu. "We don’t want a balkanization of the DRC," AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye said at a press conference, calling for the "immediate withdrawal of the M23 and their backers from all occupied towns," without naming Rwanda.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had reiterated a call to "avoid a regional escalation at all costs" on Saturday at the opening of the AU summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
UK, France, and EU Condemnation
Referring to the entry of M23 and Rwandan troops into Bukavu, the British government said on Sunday that "this is a serious escalation that increases the risk of a wider regional conflict with devastating humanitarian cost," according to a statement from the Foreign Office. "Entry of M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces into Bukavu is a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, and a breach of the UN Charter," it added.
On Saturday, the French Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling for the "immediate withdrawal of Rwandan forces" and expressed readiness to impose "sanctions." The European Union, for its part, said in a message on Twitter that it would "examine as a matter of urgency all options at its disposal."
The DRC, which has been demanding sanctions against Rwanda for months, welcomed a "change in narrative" from the international community, according to its Prime Minister in Addis Ababa.
