Overview

• M23 rebels, supported by an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops, have entered Bukavu, Congo's second-largest eastern city, following their capture of Goma in January.
• The Congolese government confirmed the rebels' presence in Bukavu, stating that troops withdrew to avoid urban combat, leaving the city vulnerable to looting and chaos.
• The conflict has displaced over six million people in the region, creating the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with at least 350,000 left homeless after recent advances.
• The African Union and UN Secretary-General António Guterres have called for a ceasefire and warned that the conflict risks escalating into a regional war.
• M23 claims to defend ethnic Tutsis, while Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels to exploit the region's rich mineral resources, a charge Rwanda denies.