Tue Mar 25 16:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Renewed Clashes in Eastern DRC Despite Peace Efforts

**Kinshasa, DRC** – Fighting between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and pro-government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces intensified on Tuesday, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire. The clashes, near Lake Edward and north of Bukavu, erupted just a day after regional mediators from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held virtual talks aimed at reviving stalled peace negotiations.

The M23’s recent advances, which have seen them capture major cities like Goma and Bukavu, have caused a humanitarian crisis with thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. The rebels’ refusal to withdraw from Walikale, despite earlier pledges, further fueled the conflict.

Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23, vowed to continue fighting, rejecting the recent meeting between Congolese and Rwandan leaders in Qatar and any peace process that excludes his group.

In response to the ongoing violence, a new panel of five former African heads of state – Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Kgalema Motlanthe (South Africa), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), and Catherine Samba Panza (Central African Republic) – has been appointed to facilitate the peace process. They will replace Angolan President Joao Lourenco, who withdrew from his mediating role.

Adding to the regional tensions, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye accused Rwanda of plotting an attack on Burundi, alleging support for the Red Tabara rebel group. Rwanda denied these accusations, stating that joint security meetings with Burundi are underway to secure their shared border. The conflict, rooted in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide and competition for Congo’s vast mineral wealth, continues to destabilize the region.

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