Overview
- Congolese officials confirmed M23 captured the strategic port city of Uvira this week, with reporters in the city describing a tense calm and a heavy rebel presence after government forces withdrew.
- UN updates say the offensive has uprooted more than 500,000 people since early December, with regional officials reporting over 400 civilians killed and aid groups warning of collapsing health services and rising disease risks.
- Refugee flows are growing on multiple fronts, including tens of thousands crossing into Burundi, new arrivals registered in Rwanda, and internal displacement toward Tanganyika Province as hospitals struggle to treat the wounded.
- At the UN Security Council, the United States accused Rwanda of directing M23 operations and deploying 5,000–7,000 troops in eastern DRC, pledging to hold spoilers to account; Kigali denied backing the rebels and pointed to Burundian involvement.
- UN peace operations warned of a potential regional conflagration as recent Washington and Doha agreements falter, with MONUSCO constrained by movement restrictions, resource shortfalls and the need to protect displaced communities near its bases.