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)
M23 Denounces DRC’s Statement on M23
Kivu Morning Post, a Congolese news outlet, reported that M23 dismissed the DRC’s rhetoric as “propaganda” aimed at delegitimizing the group; M23 also claimed that the DRC has been financing pro-government militias in Goma and deliberately attempting to “fuel insecurity” in the provincial capital (Critical Threats)
DRC’s Interior Ministry Statement on M23 Bombardment
DRC’s interior ministry released a statement claiming that M23 bombed densely populated areas and reinforced troops on front lines in several areas in North Kivu and South Kivu, which violated the late April truce as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (Critical Threats)
Additionally, mining ministers from Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, the countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, announced that they will visit DRC and Rwanda to investigate DRC’s claims that Rwanda is “pillaging its minerals and fueling a conflict” in eastern part of the country (Critical Threats)
Bezos-Backed Firm Secures Foothold in Congolese Mining Sector
KoBold Metals, supported by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, signed a deal to develop the Manono lithium project in DRC’s Tanganyika province; the $1 billion agreement aims to fast-track production at one of the world’s largest lithium reserves and integrate it into Western electric vehicle supply chains (Bloomberg)
Additionally, the head of Twangiza gold mine in the Luhwinja chiefdom released a statement that M23 officially ordered the mine to close after the rebel group captured the area on May 6 and May 7 (Critical Threats)
M23 and Kinshasa Resume Peace Talks
The DRC government and M23 rebels resumed Qatar-mediated talks in Doha after weeks of deadlock; the rebel group criticized the Congolese delegation’s lack of authority and demanded the release of detained members, while clashes in North Kivu displaced over thirty thousand civilians over a few days amid mutual accusations of ceasefire violations (Reuters)
Reported DRC-Rwanda Peace Proposals
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda each submitted outlines of a peace deal to the United States, Trump’s Africa advisor Massad Boulos wrote on social media; Boulos has said Washington is negotiating mineral deals with both countries and aims to broker the signing of a peace agreement this month at the White House (Reuters)
However, violence continues, with the M23 rebels advancing and the Congolese army accusing them of seizing new territory on Lake Edward (Reuters)
U.S. Mediation on DRC-Rwanda Conflict
Washington aims to facilitate the signing of a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda at the White House in about two months, Trump’s senior advisor for Africa told Reuters; the peace accord would be accompanied by deals opening the door to increased Western investment in both countries’ minerals sectors, he said (Reuters)
The DRC and Rwanda are due to submit separate drafts of a peace deal today (Al Jazeera)
Separately, DRC authorities are seeking to lift former President Joseph Kabila’s immunity to prosecute him for alleged support of the M23 rebellion; the Congolese army’s attorney general has accused him of war crimes and requested the Senate revoke senatorial immunity (Reuters)
ICRC Evacuates DRC Troops Sheltering at UN Base in Goma
Hundreds of DRC soldiers and police who had taken refuge at a UN base in Goma since M23 rebels seized the city in January are being escorted to Kinshasa by the International Committee of the Red Cross (Reuters)
SADC Forces Exit Eastern DRC via Rwanda
The South African National Defence Force confirmed that its troops, along with forces from Malawi and Tanzania, have begun withdrawing from eastern DRC, exiting through Rwanda en route to Tanzania (The Independent)