A senior official from the M23 rebel movement has announced the capture of hundreds of Burundian soldiers during fighting that led to the group’s takeover of the strategic town of Uvira, near the Burundian border in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The escalation comes despite recent diplomatic efforts, following last week’s meeting in Washington between the presidents of Congo and Rwanda and US President Donald Trump, where the parties reaffirmed their commitment to existing peace agreements.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Rwanda’s actions in the region as a violation of those agreements.
Patrick Buso Bwa Ngwi, the M23-appointed governor of South Kivu province, said the group is holding “hundreds of Burundian soldiers” and is prepared to return them to their country if Burundi submits an official request. He also called on Burundian forces to withdraw from the area.
Rwanda, which UN reports accuse of exercising full control over the M23, continues to deny providing any support to the rebels.
The development comes amid an offensive launched by the group in January, during which it seized large swathes of eastern Congo and established a parallel administration—raising fears of a de facto partition of the mineral-rich region, known for resources such as cobalt and tin.
Local sources reported that Congolese army units have withdrawn from several areas in the face of the rebel advance, while Médecins Sans Frontières said it had suspended its operations in the nearby town of Baraka due to escalating violence.
