Overview
- M23 said it seized the lakeside hub of Uvira after a rapid advance this month, while Congolese authorities offered no confirmation and residents reported army withdrawals and gunfire.
- United Nations partners report roughly 200,000 people newly displaced since December 2, with about 74 recent deaths, as South Kivu officials assert more than 413 civilians have been killed in the latest clashes.
- UN and U.S. assessments cite consistent evidence of Rwandan support to M23, a claim Kigali denies, and South Kivu authorities alleged Rwandan special forces are present in Uvira.
- The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa urged M23 and Rwandan forces to halt offensive operations and called for Rwandan troops to withdraw, referencing obligations under last week’s Washington agreement.
- Cross-border strain is rising with civilians fleeing into Burundi, reports of projectiles landing in Rugombo, a warning from Burundi’s foreign minister about risks to Bujumbura, and more than 30,000 new arrivals recorded in three days.