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Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

DRC and M23 Rebels Miss Deadline to Reach Peace Deal

  • Qatar is mediating the negotiations; the parties committed to the deadline a month ago (Reuters)

United States Sanctions Groups Profiting From Illegal Mineral Sales

  • The United States sanctioned an armed group and companies from the DRC and China, which it stated were profiting from illegal mineral sales; the conflict minerals trade poses a danger and hinders lawful mining, a U.S. Treasury official stated (U.S. Treasury)
  • Washington says it is trying to broker a peace deal in the country and invest in its mineral resources (AP)

M23 Killed 319 Civilians in Eastern DRC in July

  • The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said M23 rebels killed at least 319 civilians, including 48 women and 19 children, last month in eastern DRC, citing “first-hand accounts;” Turk said in a statement that the violence in the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu produced “one of the largest documented death tolls in such attacks since the M23’s resurgence in 2022” (Al Jazeera)

UN Human Rights Chief: M23 Killed At Least 319 Civilians in July

  • July marked one of the deadliest months on record since the M23 rebel group surged in 2022; the DRC and Rwanda signed a peace deal in Washington late last month, and M23 and the Congolese government say they are also working toward a peace deal (Reuters)

DRC and Rwanda Agree to Economic Cooperation as Part of Peace Deal

  • DRC and Rwanda agreed on an “economic integration framework,” which includes cooperation on energy, infrastructure, mineral supply chains, national parks, and public health during their first talks since signing a peace deal, according to the U.S. State Department, which mediated the deal in Washington (Al Jazeera)

Thirty-Eight Killed in ADF Attack on Catholic Church in Ituri

  • At least thirty-eight people were found dead following an attack on a Catholic church in eastern DRC’s Ituri province; rebels from the Allied Democratic Force ADF, backed by the Islamic State, stormed the church and opened fire on worshippers during a vigil, killing nineteen men, fifteen women, and nine children, as well as five others in a nearby village (AP)

Twelve Rescued and Unknown Number Trapped in South Kivu Mine Collapse

  • Twelve people have reportedly been rescued from an informal gold mine in M23-controlled South Kivu that collapsed following a landslide, trapping an unknown number of the thousands of miners working there (AP)

DRC Signs Ceasefire With M23

  • Both sides committed to a lasting resolution to their conflict and pledged to sign an official peace deal by August 18 (Reuters)
  • DRC and M23 rebels agreed to exchange detainees and restore national authorities in eastern cities currently controlled by M23 (PBS)
  • The deal also states that both sides must refrain from attacks, harmful propaganda, and any attempts to seize new ground positions (BBC)
  • Washington welcomed the Qatar-facilitated deal, while the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC called it “an important step towards sustainable peace” (State; UN)
  • It follows a June peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda (State)

Two Children and Two Teenagers Killed in Fighting in Goma

  • Though the United States announced a humanitarian truce between the Congolese government and M23 that was set to last until July 19, fighting has erupted in Goma’s North Kivu province; two children and two teenagers were killed in a bombardment (Al Jazeera)

ADF Rebels Associated With IS Murder Sixty-Six in Eastern DRC

  • Rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia group associated with the self-proclaimed Islamic State, allegedly killed sixty-six civilians in the eastern Irumu region that borders Uganda; a spokesperson for the UN described the incident as a “bloodbath” (AP)

UN Report: Rwanda Gave “Critical” Support to M23 Rebels

  • According to a confidential UN report, Rwanda provided “critical” assistance to M23’s recent offensive in eastern DRC, providing “advanced military equipment, including jamming systems, short-range air defense system, and armed drones,” to secure Kigali’s access to fertile grounds and minerals; the report said that the smuggling of coltan from M23-controlled territories in recent months reached “unprecedented levels” (AP)
  • Additionally, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said he was grateful for U.S. support in the conflict between Rwanda and DRC, though he warned that the success of the deal is dependent on goodwill from conflicting parties (AP)

UN Security Council Votes to Renew Sanctions on DRC

  • The United Nations Security Council enacted a resolution to renew sanctions on the DRC until July 1, 2026; Resolution 2738, which won the unanimous support of the fifteen-member council, also extended the mandates of the expert group assisting the DRC Sanctions Committee until August 1, 2026 (UN)

DRC, Rwanda To Sign Peace Agreement

  • Foreign ministers from both countries are due to sign a peace deal in Washington today alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department said; the three countries said the deal would cover “respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities” and disarming “non-state armed groups,” without giving further details (France24)
  • Separately, rebels from the Cooperative for the Diversion of Congo (CODECO) killed eleven people in an attack on a camp for the displaced in Ituri; among the victims were eight children and three women, and twelve others were reportedly injured (AP)

Congolese Soldier Kills Three Comrades During Dispute in Eastern DRC

  • A Congolese soldier opened fire on his comrades in Mungazi, a town in North Kivu near the frontline of fighting between the military and M23 rebels, killing three soldiers and wounding eight others (AP)

Heineken Relinquishes Control of Facilities in Eastern DRC

  • Heineken confirmed that armed forces have taken over its production sites in Bukavu, Goma, and surrounding areas; the company said, “the conditions required to operate responsibly and safely are no longer present and as of June 12, 2025, we have lost operational control” (CNN)

DRC and Rwanda Reach Draft Peace Deal

  • The countries initialed the draft Wednesday after three days of talks in Washington mediated by the United States and Qatar (State)
  • The announcement comes after a surge in the eastern Congo conflict since late last year has resulted in thousands of people killed and millions more displaced (IRC; NYT)
  • Previous mediation attempts by Angola had failed to end the conflict (AfricaNews)
  • The agreement covers territorial integrity, a ban on hostilities, disarmament and “conditional integration” of armed groups, facilitation of refugee returns, humanitarian access, and a regional economic framework, the countries said in their joint statement; they also said a security coordination mechanism would be established that incorporates principles reached under Angolan mediation last year (Reuters)
  • The minerals sector was not directly mentioned in this week’s joint statement, though the Donald Trump administration stepped up its mediation after DRC President Felix Tshisekedi offered to facilitate U.S. investment in the country’s mineral resources earlier this year (Reuters; NYT)
  • U.S.-DRC talks are underway for a separate minerals deal, the Financial Times reported (FT)
  • Multiple ceasefires in the eastern Congo have fallen through since the M23 rebel group began their territorial push in late 2021; if the agreement moves forward, officials from Congo and the DRC are set to sign it with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio next Friday, June 27 (NYT)

UN Peacekeeping Chief Meets With M23 Leaders in Rebel-Run City

  • The head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in DRC met with M23 leaders in Goma in her first visit to the eastern city since its seizure by rebels; rebel leaders “expressed their willingness to find a peaceful solution to the crisis” (AP)

Rwanda Leaves Economic Community of Central African States

  • The group blocked Rwanda from taking a scheduled role as rotating chair; members objected to Rwanda’s “aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” the DRC president’s office said (BBC)
  • Congo, the UN, and several Western countries accuse Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in the eastern Congo, which it denies (NBC)

DRC Restricts Reporting on Former President Kabila

  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government has banned media from reporting on former President Joseph Kabila and his party, citing a broader ban on the party itself; the current government accuses Kabila of treason and links to M23 rebels, which he denies (BBC)
  • Kabila returned from self-imposed exile in April and says he seeks peace with the rebels. The government threatened suspension for outlets that violate the reporting ban; M23 said media organizations in areas it controls would not abide by it (DW)

DRC Wins Seat on UN Security Council

  • The Democratic Republic of Congo was elected to a rotating seat on the UN Security Council with a unanimous 183 votes, marking its third term on the body; addressing concerns about ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, the DRC’s Foreign Minister said her country will bring experience in managing long-term violence, navigating UN peacekeeping challenges, and addressing the links between conflict, natural resources, and climate change (AP)

Ex-President of DRC Meets Religious Leaders in Rebel-Held Goma

  • Having returned from self-imposed exile after his immunity was lifted over suspected support for M23 and for allegedly acting as an ambassador for rebels and youth, former Congolese President Joseph Kabila met with religious leaders in the M23-held city of Goma, where he reportedly expressed a desire to promote peace in the region (AP; BBC)

Former DRC Leader Sentenced

  • The DRC’s Constitutional Court sentenced former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon to ten years of forced labor for embezzlement; Matata led the country between 2012 and 2016 and was accused of misusing funds from an agricultural development project (Reuters)
  • He now heads the Leadership and Governance for Development party; his lawyer denied wrongdoing and said the charges were politically motivated (BBC)

Over 1,000 Congolese Troops and Families Evacuated from Rebel-Held Goma

  • Between April 30 and May 15, 1,359 Congolese soldiers, police officers, and their families were safely relocated from rebel-held Goma to Kinshasa, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); the group had been sheltering at the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Congo since January (AP)

Congolese Authorities Accuse M23 and Rwandan Army of War Crimes

  • Congolese authorities accused Rwanda’s military and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group of committing widespread atrocities in eastern Congo, including killings, abductions, rape, and looting; according to a statement from DRC’s interior ministry, the alleged crimes occurred between May 10 and 13 and targeted civilians suspected of ties to the Congolese army and allied militias (AP)

M23 Forces Advance to Katogota

  • Local sources confirmed the presence of M23 near Katogota, a major economic and administrative hub connecting Uvira to Buavu, which prompted panic in nearby villages and left residents seeking refuge in safer regions; military reinforcements are allegedly being deployed to minimize the conflict (Peace Rwanda Congo)