Rwanda-backed M23 militia reach centre of Bukavu in DR Congo

The Rwandan-backed M23 militia has entered Bukavu, the second largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the governor of South Kivu province, Jean-Jacques Purusi, said according to Al Jazeera on February 16th.

“They [the M23] are in Bukavu,” Purusi told the Reuters on February 16th, adding that Congolese troops had withdrawn to avoid urban fighting.

The militia group had been advancing on the city since taking control of the region’s largest, Goma, late last month. The capture of Bukavu represents the most significant expansion of M23-controlled territory since this latest rebellion began back in 2022.

Al Jazeera