Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo - Recent ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed on Sunday the entry of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels into Bukavu, a major city in the eastern part of the country.

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels advanced on Sunday into the centre of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, meeting little resistance from government troops, witnesses and the armed group said, as Congo accused Rwanda of ignoring calls for a ceasefire.

The DRC government has accused Rwanda of orchestrating the offensive, citing M23’s military precision and advanced weaponry as clear evidence of foreign support. Rwandan President Paul Kagame denies involvement,

The Rwandan-backed rebels' entry into Bukavu follows their capture of Goma, defying international calls for a ceasefire.

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have captured the eastern city of Bukavu with the backing of Rwandan forces, the second major city in the mineral-rich Kivu region to fall in three weeks.

As armed attacks intensify in North Kivu, villagers plead for prayers after discovering dozens of victims inside a Protestant church — another grim chapter in the region’s deepening crisis.

The capture of Bukavu would represent an unprecedented expansion of territory under the M23's control since the latest insurgency started in 2022.

The UN human rights chief accused Rwanda-backed rebels who seized a second major city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of killing children and attacking hospitals and warehouses storing humanitarian aid.

The Congo River Alliance, a group of rebel outfits including the Rwandan-backed M23, said its fighters "decided to assist the population of Bukavu" in addressing its security challenges under the "old regime".