Rwanda-backed M23 fighters Declare Unilateral Cease-fire in Goma
Last week’s fighting killed more than nine hundred people, UN health officials said (AP)
The Congolese army, which has been fighting the rebels, did not immediately say if it would also observe a truce (CNN)
Meanwhile, sixty-four nongovernmental organizations—most from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—joined calls for the European Union (EU) to cancel a critical minerals pact with Rwanda, which facilitates EU access to metals and rare earth elements; beyond objections to Kigali’s backing of the M23 rebel group, multiple UN reports say Rwanda also uses the rebels to extract minerals from within the DRC (Bloomberg)
Some EU member states, such as Belgium, have already called to end the agreement (Guardian)
Death Toll Rises to Over 770 in Goma
The United Nations (UN) provided this estimate after a week of fighting in the DRC’s east (The Guardian)
Rwandan President Paul Kagame claimed that he did not know whether Rwandan forces are in the DRC, despite UN estimates of up to four thousand soldiers currently supervising M23 (CNN)
President Félix Tshisekedi Pledges “Vigorous” Campaign to Recover Territory Lost to Rwanda-Backed Rebel Fighters in Eastern DRC
Tshisekedi skipped a regional summit convened by Kenya to address the conflict earlier yesterday, which Rwandan President Paul Kagame attended (BBC)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa blamed M23 rebels, who are funded by Rwanda, for the deaths of thirteen South African soldiers in Goma; Ramaphosa added that further killings of troops, who were deployed as part of a peacekeeping force, would be treated as a “declaration of war” (BBC)
Rwandan President Paul Kagame rejected the accusation (Reuters)
Global Warnings About DRC Conflict Grow as Rebels Take Crucial City
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized the airport in the largest eastern city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) yesterday; their sweep into Goma—which was a humanitarian hub—marks the worst escalation since 2012 in an ongoing insurgency (Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to leaders of both DRC and Rwanda on the phone this week, urging a cease-fire and saying the U.S. is “deeply troubled” by events there (Reuters)
Kenya had planned to host a crisis meeting to help mediate today, but the DRC’s president declined to attend, Congolese state media reported (France 24)
The violence in Goma has prompted hundreds of thousands of people to flee, the UN deputy special representative in Congo said (UN)
When M23 rebels took over the city in 2012, Rwanda was hit with international sanctions, and the rebels were defeated the following year; so far, countries have largely held back from similar threats this time (NYT)
In just three days of fighting, local hospitals tallied more than one hundred people killed and almost one thousand wounded (AFP)
Romanian private security contractors, who provided technical and military assistance to the Congolese military, were captured by M23 and brought to Kigali by Rwandan authorities for deportation to Romania (AFP)
In the DRC capital of Kinshasa, demonstrators attacked a UN compound and foreign missions—including those of its former colonizer Belgium, France, and the United States—in anger over the international community’s failure to stop the rebel advance (NYT)
DRC Conflict Prompts Kinshasa Protests as Two More Peacekeepers Killed
Demonstrators in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital of Kinshasa yesterday protested against the Rwandan government’s backing of M23 rebels as Congolese forces tried to push back a rebel advance in the eastern city of Goma; a rebel attack killed three South African peacekeepers yesterday, Pretoria said (AP)
Fighting in Goma has killed 25 people and wounded over 400 as thousands of civilians flee the violence (BBC)
M23 Captures Goma as Fighting Escalates
On Monday, M23 militants announced their capture of Goma, the capital city of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the Rwandan border; Kinshasa disputed M23’s claim to have taken full control of the city as fighting raged into the night (BBC)
In advance of the armed group’s unexpected announcement, Congolese officials accused Rwanda—the primary funder and backer of M23—of sending increased troops across the border into Goma, amounting to a declaration of war by Rwanda against the DRC (NYT)
Kigali said that five Rwandan civilians were killed and more were wounded by Congolese bombs and bullets on the Rwandan side of the border during Monday’s fighting (The EastAfrican)
The UN confirmed that Rwandan troops acted in support of M23 in Goma during the offensive; thousands of civilians, many of whom are already internally displaced, fled the city on Monday (AP)
Kinshasa promptly halted diplomatic relations with Kigali as M23 advanced on Goma; the UN relocated nonessential personnel while the United States and its European allies have called on their nationals to leave DRC in anticipation of potential border closures (Al Jazeera)
Thirteen soldiers serving in multinational peacekeeping missions were killed in the past two weeks of fighting; East African Community Chair and President of Kenya William Ruto announced that he called on the Congolese and Rwandan presidents to cease hostilities and return to the negotiating table (VOA)
UN Security Council Calls for Rebels to Stop DRC Military Push
M23 rebels claimed they took over the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) city of Goma, a humanitarian hub, which the Congolese government denied; the DRC foreign minister said Rwanda had declared war by sending troops over the border to support the M23 (BBC)
Increased fighting around the city over the weekend prompted the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting and African neighbors to plan a regional meeting about the summit in the coming days (Reuters)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres Warns Current Escalation Between M23 Rebels and Congolese Government Forces Is “Heightening the Threat of Regional War”
The Rwanda-backed rebels surrounded the eastern city of Goma; they briefly captured it in 2012 before withdrawing over intense international pressure (NYT)
DRC Army and M23 Rebels Both Used Explosive Weapons in Densely Populated Areas Between Last January and July,
Amnesty International said the actions “likely constitute war crimes;” an uptick in fighting has displaced more than 237,000 people since the start of this year, the UN refugee agency said (AP)
President Félix Tshisekedi Replaces Head of Armed Forces and Several Senior Military Officials
State media announced the reshuffle late last night but did not provide a reason (AP)
It comes days after peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda over armed conflict in the eastern DRC were canceled, and clashes broke out immediately after (VOA)
DRC Files Criminal Complaints Against Apple’s Subsidiaries in Belgium and France Alleging They Rely on Conflict Minerals
Apple rejected the accusations and said it holds its suppliers to “the highest standards in industry” (BBC)
Angola-Mediated Peace Talks Between DRC and Rwanda Unexpectedly Canceled
The Congolese presidency said it refused a Rwandan demand for direct dialogue with M23 rebels as a condition for signing a peace deal (AP)
Angola Says DRC, Rwanda Advance in Peace Talks
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a document yesterday naming the terms by which Rwandan troops will disengage from DRC territory, mediator Angola said; the details of the document were not immediately made public (AFP)
Rwanda backs the M23 rebel group which has seized large swaths of eastern DRC since 2021 (Al Jazeera)
Southern African Development Community Troops Will Remain in DRC for Another Year
The mission was deployed in December 2023 with a one-year mandate to help the government fight against rebel groups (Reuters)
DRC President Considers Constitutional Reform
President Felix Tshisekedi announced plans to establish a commission to amend the country’s constitution, potentially eliminating term limits; opposition leaders voiced concern over Tshisekedi’s move towards constitutional reform as an attempt to “prolong his tenure” as president (Reuters)
United States Has Conducted Unusual Secret Intelligence-Sharing With Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda
Washington’s “intelligence diplomacy” has so far produced a temporary cease-fire in the ongoing conflict between the DRC and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group, but it has not stopped the group from expanding its territory; Rwanda denies supporting M23 (Bloomberg)
International Criminal Court (ICC) to Reopen Investigation Into Potential War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Committed in North Kivu Province
Last May, the DRC requested an investigation into the systematic pillaging of its natural resources by the Rwandan military and rebel groups (Reuters)
U.S. Watchdog Says Rules on Conflict Minerals Has Not Reduced DRC Violence
The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that a 2010 law requiring companies to report using minerals connected to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has not reduced violence in the country; armed groups have increasingly fought for control of gold mines since gold is less traceable than other metals, the report noted (Bloomberg)
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it disagreed with some of the findings (Reuters)
Doctors Without Borders Treats at Least Two Sexual Violence Victims Per Hour in DRC
Teams from the humanitarian organization helped treat more than two victims and survivors of sexual violence every hour in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last year, totaling more than 25,000—the highest number it ever recorded in the country; the trend heightened further upward in the first part of 2024, it said, calling on national and international stakeholders to respect international humanitarian law and improve conditions for displaced people (MSF)
Angolan Presidency: Congolese and Rwandan Officials Agree to Cease-fire in Eastern DRC Beginning August 4
The statement did not make clear which groups were parties to the deal or how long a truce would last; DRC forces have been battling rebels in the area, and Rwanda has previously denied accusations that it backs the rebels (Reuters).
UN Security Council Says Uganda’s Army Has Bolstered M23 Rebel Group
In a report seen by Reuters, the United Nations Security Council expert group found that the M23 was able to use Ugandan territory for transit and meetings; the report also reaffirmed previous assessments that Rwanda backs the rebel group (Reuters)
A Ugandan army spokesperson denied any cooperation with M23; Uganda is one of the countries that makes up a regional force overseeing peace negotiations with the rebel group (Al Jazeera)
World Health Organization Calls for Urgent Action to Address Spread of Mpox in Africa
A scientist from the University of Rwanda said in a separate briefing that an extremely dangerous strain is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province; it has fatality rates of around 5 percent in adults and 10 percent in children (Reuters)
Kagame: Rwanda “Ready to Fight” DRC
In an interview with France 24, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Rwanda is “ready to fight” the DRC; his declaration follows accusations from Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi that Rwanda is organizing a genocide in Eastern DRC (Africanews)
Recent Rebel Attacks Prompt Deadly Protests in Eastern Congo
At least seven people have died in an outbreak of protests in the North Kivu province of Eastern Congo this week; the protests erupted as the ADF was suspected of carrying out two attacks in the past two weeks that killed forty and eighty, respectively (Reuters)
Following the week of deadly protests, Pope Francis appealed to national and international authorities to end the bloodshed in the country (Africanews)
Outbreak of ADF Attacks in Eastern DRC Kills Over Eighty
More than eighty people have been killed in the eastern provinces of the DRC this week in a slew of attacks carried out by men using guns and machetes against civilians in the villages of Masala, Keme, and Mahini; the army said that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were responsible for the attacks (Africa News)