Violence escalates in the remote eastern region of Congo, posing a significant challenge to US mediation efforts
Nurses at the general hospital in Fizi, a town surrounded by steep highlands in eastern Congo’s South Kivu province, quickly rushed the wounded soldier into surgery after he was brought in slumped on the back of a motorbike.
He sustained gunshot wounds to both legs on the front line in the mountains north of town, an area where clashes between the army and rebel groups have intensified in recent weeks.
The conflict, occurring outside of urban centers and largely ignored by international mediators, is attracting additional forces from all factions involved in the war in eastern Congo, which could further complicate the Trump administration’s efforts to establish peace and secure Western mineral investments in the region.
Rebels advance southward following the capture of significant cities.
Earlier this week, the AFC/M23 rebel group cited the ongoing fighting as a rationale for a drone attack on Kisangani airport, located hundreds of kilometres from the front lines, describing it as retaliation for government aerial assaults on villages in South Kivu. The army of Congo has yet to provide any commentary regarding the drone strike or the assertions made by the rebels about attacks on villages.
In the meantime, the number of casualties keeps rising.
“Many of our patients present with injuries to their upper or lower limbs, often arriving with wounds that are already infected due to the limited facilities available on the frontline,” stated Richard Lwandja, a surgeon.
AFC/M23 executed a rapid advance early last year, capturing Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, in February 2025. They continued their southward movement in December, briefly taking Uvira, located on the border with Burundi.
A few days later, the rebels retreated due to pressure from the United States, which facilitated a peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda in June.
The United Nations and Western powers assert that Rwanda supports AFC/M23 and even exercises command and control over the group, a claim that Rwanda refutes.
The recent conflict has focused on the highlands surrounding Minembwe in Fizi territory, where the army has initiated an operation against AFC/M23 and its local ally, the Twirwaneho, a group established by Congolese Tutsi known as Banyamulenge. “The highlands around Uvira are of great strategic importance: whoever holds them gains access to significant towns in the lowlands,” stated Regan Miviri, an analyst at the Ebuteli research institute in Kinshasa. “Due to the area’s remoteness, the conflict receives minimal attention and diplomatic pressure.”
He stated that the government’s main focus was to secure Uvira and prevent the conflict from spreading to Tanganyika and Katanga, regions that encompass some of Congo’s key mining centers.
Diplomacy faces challenges in keeping up with the ongoing conflict.
AFC/M23 has established its presence in the highlands of South Kivu as a means to safeguard the Banyamulenge, whereas Kinshasa has alleged that the coalition is taking advantage of longstanding tensions among communities regarding land, cattle, and local representation.
The recent increase in hostilities occurs as Congo and AFC/M23 reached an agreement in Doha this week to implement a ceasefire monitoring mechanism facilitated by Qatar. A U.N. team is anticipated to arrive in Uvira in the near future.
At Fizi’s hospital, staff report that the influx of injured individuals continues unabated, raising concerns about their capacity to manage the situation for much longer.
“Roads frequently become impassable, and supplies deplete,” stated Robert Zoubda, a nurse with the Red Cross. “Should this persist, we will need to set up additional tents.”
