KINSHASA: Fierce fighting erupted in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Congolese and Rwandan leaders in Washington to sign agreements aimed at ending years of devastating conflict in the mineral-rich region. Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame reaffirmed commitments to a U.S.-brokered deal initially reached in June, with Trump declaring: “We’re settling a war that’s been going on for decades.” However, on the ground, the warring sides immediately clashed again, each accusing the other of orchestrating widespread attacks.
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which is not bound by the Washington agreement and seized the two largest cities in eastern Congo earlier this year, reported that 23 people were killed and several others wounded in bombardments targeting towns in South Kivu province. The group claimed that government forces conducted widespread attacks across densely populated areas of North Kivu and South Kivu using fighter jets, drones, and heavy artillery. A Congolese army spokesman countered that clashes were ongoing along multiple frontline positions and that Rwandan forces were conducting bombing campaigns. WNN was unable to independently verify claims from either side in real time.
Videos circulating on social media showed dozens of displaced families fleeing on foot with their belongings and livestock near the town of Luvungi in South Kivu province. Lawrence Kanyuka, the M23 spokesperson, stated that numerous homes have been destroyed and that women and children have been killed in the violence. A Congo army spokesperson confirmed to WNN that clashes were taking place along the Kaziba, Katogota, and Rurambo axis in South Kivu province, and reported population displacement in Luvungi due to Rwandan Defence Force bombardment, describing it as “bombing blindly.” Rwanda’s army and government representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A senior M23 official told WNN that rebel forces had retaken the town of Lubarika and shot down a Congolese army drone, while requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly. He bluntly stated: “The war continues on the ground and has no connection with the signing of the agreement that took place yesterday in Washington.” Analysts have concluded that while U.S. diplomacy temporarily paused an escalation of fighting in eastern Congo, it has failed to resolve core underlying issues, with neither Congo nor Rwanda fulfilling pledges made in the June agreement.
The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced according to official figures. M23, supported by an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops according to United Nations experts, controls vast swathes of eastern Congo and has previously vowed to march toward the capital Kinshasa, located approximately 1,600 kilometers to the east. The continued violence underscores the deep chasm between diplomatic declarations in Washington and the brutal reality faced by millions of civilians caught in the crossfire of competing military and political interests.
-P. Richardson
