DRC and Rwandan Presidents Meet to Discuss Conflict, Call for Ceasefire
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met in Qatar to discuss the ongoing war in the eastern DRC between government forces and M23 rebels, the first meeting between the two heads of state since the outbreak of hostilities in January; the presidents issued a joint statement calling for an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire (Reuters)
M23 Rebels Pull Out of Peace Talks
The M23 rebel group announced it was pulling out of peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), citing sanctions imposed by the European Union on Rwanda and itself; the DRC confirmed it would still be sending a delegation to the talks (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Rwanda and Belgium cut diplomatic ties after Kigali claimed Brussels had used “lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda” and expelled all Belgian diplomats (France24)
The diplomatic rift came shortly after the European Union announced it was imposing sanctions on five senior leaders of the M23, four high-ranking military officials in the Rwandan Defense Forces, and the CEO of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board for their role in facilitating the war in eastern Congo (Council of the EU)
Additionally, President Felix Tshisekedi met with U.S. lawmaker Ronny Jackson to discuss possible American investment in Congo and the current security situation in the east (Reuters)
Thousands of Troops From Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania Stationed as Part of Southern African Development Community Force Will Gradually Withdraw
Public opposition to the force has increased after seventeen peacekeepers were killed in January; South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the withdrawal also made sense in light of plans for peace talks between the DRC and rebel groups (AP)
Meanwhile, M23 forces continued their advance westward toward the strategic town of Walikale in western North Kivu, capturing several villages and striking an alliance with a formerly DRC-aligned militia (Critical Threats)
Angola Plans to Host Direct Negotiations Next Week on Insurgency in Eastern DRC
It has invited delegations from the Congolese military and the rebel group M23; the Congolese government confirmed it had received an invitation while a leader of the rebels said such talks are “the only civilized option to resolve the current crisis” (Reuters)
Former President’s Allies Questioned by Military Prosecutor
Allies of former DRC President Joseph Kabila were summoned to appear before a military prosecutor as tensions grew over the government’s response to the ongoing conflict in the east (Reuters)
M23 Continues Advance into Mineral-Rich North Kivu Province
M23 rebels are reported to be moving deeper into the mineral-rich North Kivu province of the DRC; they have allegedly entered Nyabiondo, a village about one hundred kilometers north of Goma that serves as a strategic juncture on the road to Walikale, the site of the government’s only remaining industrial-grade mine (Al Jazeera)
The continued offensive comes as a critical ally of the government, the Group Kabido, announced it was joining the M23 coalition (Reuters)
DRC Government Offers Five Million Dollar Bounty for M23 Leaders
The government’s Ministry of Justice announced it was offering a reward of five million dollars “to any person who helps arrest the convicts Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa, and Sultani Makenga,” three senior figures within the M23 coalition (Al Jazeera)
Meanwhile, the UN reported that at least sixty-three thousand refugees have left the DRC in recent weeks, pouring into Burundi and overwhelming relief networks there; nearly forty-five thousand of these are currently being held inside an open-air stadium in Rugombo, where conditions are reported to be extremely poor (Arab News)
UNHCR: Almost Sixty-Three Thousand People Have Fled DRC for Burundi in Less Than a Month
Burundi’s largest such influx in decades has overwhelmed shelters and aid resources; as clashes between rebels and government forces in the DRC continue, the refugee agency has appealed for emergency funding (UNHCR;Reuters)
Thirty-Five Dead After Pro-Government Militia Attack in Eastern Congo
Members of the Wazalendo, a civilian militia affiliated with the Congolese army, killed at least thirty-five civilians during an attack on the village of Tambi, North Kivu province (Brussels Times)
Meanwhile, a further eleven people were killed in a bout of vigilante violence in M23-held Bukavu (Reuters)
DRC Offers United States Exclusive Access to Critical Minerals in Exchange for Security Assistance
The DRC’s government has reportedly contacted the Trump administration regarding a potential minerals deal, whereby the United States would receive “exclusive extraction and export rights” in exchange for security assistance in the war it is fighting against the M23 rebel group (Bloomberg)
Meanwhile, Germany announced it was suspending development aid and reviewing existing commitments as a result of Rwanda’s participation in the ongoing war between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group (Reuters)
DRC Prime Minister Tuluka Refuses Talks with M23 Rebels
The DRC’s Prime Minister Judith Tuluka has reiterated her government is not prepared to participate in ceasefire negotiations with representatives of the M23 rebel group, despite recent international calls for an “inclusive dialogue” between the two sides; Tuluka insists the DRC will only mediate with Rwanda, which it continues to identify as the true “aggressor” in the conflict. (BBC)
The United Nations Human Rights Office revealed that M23 rebels had abducted at least one hundred thirty patients from two hospitals in Goma during the night of February 28; most of the patients were males, likely soldiers in the DRC’s national army or the pro-government militia Wazalendo (Reuters)
Additionally, Canada announced it would suspend the issuance of new export permits, trade missions, and business development activities to Rwanda; the country cited the Rwandan government’s backing of the M23 rebel group as the reason for its decision (Reuters)
Ugandan Army Deploys to Northeastern DRC
The Ugandan army has moved troops into the northeastern town of Mahagi at the request of the Congolese army; it claims it is there to protect civilians against the Cooperative for the Development of Congo, a militia the DRC claims has recently carried out several massacres (VOA)
Meanwhile, the army of the DRC has accused Rwanda of faking the capture of fighters from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a militia complicit in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, to justify its support for the M23 rebels (BBC)
Five Hundred Monkeypox Patients Flee Clinics Amid Looting by M23 Rebels
Over five hundred monkeypox patients have fled clinics in Goma and Bukavu, raising fears of regional outbreaks; the patients were forced to flee after M23 rebels looted and set fire to the clinics (BBC)
At Least Eleven Killed in Blasts at M23 Rally in Bukavu
At least sixty-five others were injured in the two bomb explosions, which the DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi called a “terrorist attack,” while M23 rebels accused the Congolese government of orchestrating the attack (DW)
Unknown Illness Kills Fifty-Three in Northwestern DRC
Individuals reported fever, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue; the WHO said the disease has a fatality rate of 12.3 percent (Reuters)
Health officials called for high-level intervention to contain the disease in an area with weak health infrastructure (WaPo)
DRC Halting Cobalt Exports for Four Months Due to Oversupply
Cobalt is a main ingredient in electric car batteries, and DRC is the world’s largest producer; officials said they will review their stance in three months (FT)
Global prices in real terms for standard-grade cobalt have fallen to their lowest level in a century, a top pricing agency said (FastMarkets)
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom suspended financial aid to Rwanda and announced it would pause its attendance of events hosted by the Rwandan government; London threatened to potentially impose sanctions as well (Guardian)
Death Toll Since January Escalation Reaches Seven Thousand
Prime Minister Judith Tuluka Suminwa added that the recent escalation has also displaced 450,000 people (Guardian)
United States Sanctions Rwandan Government Minister for M23 Support
The U.S. Department of Treasury levied the sanctions against Minister of State for Regional Integration James Kabarebe, targeting him for supporting M23 operations and human rights abuses in DRC; the Treasury also imposed sanctions against Lawrence Kankuya, a spokesperson for M23 and owner of overseas companies in Europe (BBC)
Meanwhile, at least seventy Christians were found decapitated in a Protestant church in the town of Kasanga; local news and human rights organizations suspect the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—which has ties to the Islamic State—of committing the attack (Newsweek)
UN Cites Targeting of Children in Bukavu, Thousands Fleeing to Burundi
The United Nations (UN) condemned M23 following reports of the group’s executions of children and targeting of hospitals and warehouses during their offensive in Bukavu; the UN added that up to fifteen thousand refugees have fled to Burundi, with many coming from areas around Bukavu (UN News)
Uganda sent a new deployment of troops to join soldiers already present near the town of Bunia in Eastern DRC; meanwhile, Burundian troops began to withdraw after aiding Congolese forces fighting M23 (DW)
M23 Rebels Seize Second-Largest City in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
They reportedly encountered less resistance from Congolese forces in Bukavu than in the nearby city of Goma (DW)
The rebel advance is increasing the risk of a regional war, analysts say; Bukavu lies near the border with Burundi (NYT)
UNICEF Reports DRC Sexual Violence Spike
Health facilities in a conflict-torn region of the Democratic of Congo (DRC) reported 572 rape cases during the week ending February 2, 170 of which involved children, a top United Nations Childrens’ Fund (UNICEF) official said; that’s up from an average of 95 cases reported per week last year (WSJ)
Armed men, suspected to be from both sides of the conflict, were responsible, the official said, calling for fighters to “immediately cease and prevent grave rights violations against children” (AP;UNICEF)
DRC Announces Closure of Airspace to Rwandan Aircraft
The decision will ban any aircraft from flying over or landing in the country’s airspace, should the aircraft be registered or based out of Rwanda (Anadolu Ajansi)
Meanwhile, Formula 1 stated that it is “closely monitoring” conflict in the DRC after Rwanda put forth a bid to host a racing grand prix; this comes with greater criticism from Kinshasa against Rwandan partnerships with prominent soccer clubs (BBC)
South Africa Sends Additional Troops to Fight Against M23 Rebels
A Congolese army spokesperson did not immediately confirm or deny the deployment (Reuters)
South Africa has reportedly reinforced its support for the DRC, even though some neighboring countries, such as Malawi, recently announced withdrawals (BBC)
East African States Meet to Discuss Ending Conflict in DRC
Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) met on Saturday in Tanzania, calling for a ceasefire in eastern DRC and the opening of humanitarian aid into Goma; both Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi attended the summit (DW)
Current United Nations estimates place the death toll at around 2,900, with over 700,000 displaced (BBC)
UN: Over 150 Female Inmates Raped and Killed During Goma Prison Break
A United Nations spokesperson said that male inmates escaped and set fire to the prison in Goma on January 27 while M23 rebels and Congolese security forces fought over control of the city; most of the 165 female detainees were raped by the male prisoners and died in the fire (CNN)
Separately, the World Health Organization drew specific attention to the heightened risks of mpox in Goma and eastern DRC due to obstructed vaccine rollout and overwhelmed hospitals, while 90 percent of all mpox patients in isolated care fled the city (Reuters)