Why is the M23 insurgency escalating in eastern DRC?

An insurgency led by M23 rebels in east Democratic Republic of Congo has escalated and reached the city of Goma, worsening a humanitarian crisis in a region that suffered two devastating wars between 1996 and 2003.

Here is some background on the conflict.

Who are M23?

M23, which refers to the March 23 2009 accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt in eastern Congo, is the latest group of ethnic Tutsi-led insurgents to take up arms against Congolese forces. It launched the current rebellion in 2022.

The group has accused the government of Congo of not living up to the peace deal and fully integrating Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration. It also vows to defend Tutsi interests, particularly against ethnic Hutu militias such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), founded by Hutus who fled Rwanda after participating in the 1994 genocide of close to 1-million Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Since the start of 2025, the rebels have seized new territory and reached Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, prompting hundreds of thousands more people to flee their homes. For more than a year, M23 has controlled Congo’s coltan-mining region of Rubaya, generating about $800,000/month through a production tax, according to the UN. Coltan is used in the production of smartphones and other equipment. The group’s spread into new territories in recent weeks gives it scope to acquire more mining revenue, analysts say.

Why is Rwanda involved?

The government of Congo, UN officials and Western powers, including the US, have accused Congo’s neighbour, Rwanda, of fuelling the conflict by deploying thousands of its own troops and heavy weapons on Congolese soil in support of M23.

The accusations are based on a 2022 report by a UN Group of Experts that said it had “solid evidence” that Rwandan troops had been fighting alongside the M23 rebels. Rwanda, which denies backing the rebels, says it has taken what it calls defensive measures and accuses Congo of fighting alongside the FDLR, which has attacked Tutsis in both countries.

Rwanda has a long history of military intervention inside Congo. It and Uganda invaded in 1996 and 1998, claiming they were defending themselves against local militia groups.

Other forces

UN peacekeepers are supporting the Congolese army’s efforts to curb the M23 as part of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (Monusco) years-long mandate to counter the many rebel groups active in eastern Congo. An agreed withdrawal of the mission from Congo had been paused due to the deteriorating security situation. By December, there were nearly 11,000 peacekeepers on the ground, mostly in the east. The 16-member Sadc also extended its military mission in Congo late last year.

Both forces have suffered losses since the start of 2025.

Reuters