Bukavu rises from chaos, but scars remain. Looters and rebels left devastation, yet merchants return, clinging to hope. As M23 advances, fear grips the region—will peace hold, or is worse to come?

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.

M23 fighters on Friday advanced further on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile east as international pressure mounted on Rwanda to stop backing the armed group and halt the fighting.

The M23 rebels are the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control of Congo’s mineral-rich east, and are supported by some 4,000 troops from neighbouring Rwanda, according to the U.

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,

M23 rebels march through the centre of eastern Congo’s second largest city early Sunday as some onlookers cheer their arrival.

Rwanda-backed rebels appeared to be heading toward a third major city in eastern Congo, residents said Tuesday, as international pressure rose over the M23's expansion in a mineral-rich region that’s critical for global technology.

Smoke billows from Bukavu Central Prison buildings, a day after the prison break as Rwandan-backed M23 rebels advanced into the centre of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer (Reuters) - Residents of eastern Congo's second-largest city on Monday surveyed the aftermath of widespread looting that accompanied the arrival of Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who have pledged to restore order.