Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have deepened their advance into eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), seizing the strategic mining town of Walikale despite international calls for a ceasefire.
The rebels entered Walikale on Wednesday, just a day after DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame urged an immediate ceasefire following a surprise meeting in Doha, Qatar.
Nestor Mavudisa, spokesperson for the Congolese army (FARDC), confirmed the town’s fall on Thursday, stating, “The enemy now controls Walikale.” He added that Congolese forces had retreated to avoid heavy casualties.
M23 Dismisses Ceasefire Call
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes M23, rejected the ceasefire appeal, asserting that their fight is for a cause beyond diplomatic discussions. “What happened in Doha, as long as it doesn’t solve our problems, doesn’t concern us,” he told Reuters.
Walikale, home to approximately 15,000 people, is a mineral-rich area abundant in tin and other valuable resources. It also sits along a critical supply route linking key eastern DRC provinces. Its capture marks the farthest west M23 has advanced since its renewed offensive began in January, bringing the rebels within 400 kilometers of Kisangani, DRC’s fourth-largest city and a major Congo River port.
A Worsening Regional Crisis
The ongoing conflict, rooted in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition for eastern Congo’s vast mineral wealth, is escalating into the worst regional crisis since the 1998–2003 war, which claimed millions of lives.
With troops from Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi already involved in various clashes this year, analysts warn that the situation risks expanding into a full-scale regional conflict. Adding to the instability, tensions are rising in neighboring South Sudan, where fears of a new civil war are growing. The UPDF commandos have been deployed in the capital, Juba, amid a political standoff between President Salva Kiir and his rivals, further complicating security dynamics in the region.
Failed Peace Talks and Rising Tensions
M23 had been scheduled for direct peace talks with Kinshasa in Angola on Tuesday after Tshisekedi’s government reversed its longstanding refusal to engage with the rebels. However, the group pulled out on Monday, citing recent European Union sanctions on some of its leaders and Rwandan officials.
Nangaa reiterated the rebels’ demand for direct negotiations with the Congolese government, arguing that dialogue is the only viable solution. “We demand that if there is a dialogue, it be a direct one. We are keen on any peaceful resolution,” he said.
M23 insists its fight is aimed at ending the persecution of Tutsis in Congo and improving governance. With the rebels pushing deeper into Congolese territory and international diplomatic efforts faltering, the likelihood of a peaceful resolution remains uncertain.
