As M23 Pushes Forward in Eastern DRC, Government Accuses Rwanda of Breaking Peace Accord

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1459 EAT on Tuesday 9 December 2025

The president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, has accused Rwanda of violating a newly signed, US-brokered peace agreement, as the Kigali-backed M23 rebel group continues a rapid advance toward a strategic town near the Burundian border.

Addressing lawmakers on Monday, Tshisekedi alleged that Rwandan forces had launched fresh attacks in multiple areas of South Kivu province in the days following his December 4 peace accord with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Washington, DC — an agreement intended to halt years of conflict in the volatile eastern region.

Tshisekedi said the alleged attacks underscored Rwanda’s lack of commitment to the recently ratified peace deal. “Despite our good faith and the recently ratified agreement, it is clear that Rwanda is already violating its commitments,” he told lawmakers, claiming that Rwandan forces had launched or supported assaults with heavy weaponry “on the very day after the signing.”

Rwanda did not issue an immediate response. However, the Anadolu news agency quoted Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe as dismissing similar allegations against the Rwandan army as “ridiculous” and an attempt by Kinshasa to deflect responsibility.

Kigali has repeatedly denied backing the M23 rebels, insisting instead that it faces a continuing threat from armed groups operating in eastern DRC with links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The peace accord signed on Thursday — in which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a United States- and Qatar-brokered framework first agreed in June — was hailed by US President Donald Trump as a potential turning point for the region, even as clashes persisted on the ground.

“It is an amazing day — a great day for Africa, a great day for the world, and for these two countries,” Trump said following the signing.

Citing local and military sources, the agency said hundreds of Congolese soldiers and allied Burundian troops had fled into Burundi as the rebel group advanced.

Fresh clashes were also reported near Luvungi, a settlement roughly 60km (40 miles) north of Uvira, where residents told the Reuters news agency that M23 fighters had seized control of the village. Fighting was further reported in the nearby town of Sange, located between Uvira and Luvungi, with Reuters saying as many as 36 people were killed in apparent bomb or grenade attacks.

On Monday, Burundi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as a Rwandan attack near the border town of Cibitoke, which it said injured two people, including a 12-year-old child.

Reporting from Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, Al Jazeera’s Alain Uaykani said tensions were rising as M23 forces pushed toward Uvira. He noted that Congolese authorities had deployed significant military resources to the area in recent months to deter an offensive.
“But this could not stop the advance of M23,” he reported, adding that “disorganisation” between DRC troops and allied forces was complicating efforts to repel the rebels.

Washington ‘deeply concerned’

The US State Department said it was “deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in eastern DRC.”
“Rwanda, which continues to provide support to M23, must prevent further escalation,” a spokesperson said.

A senior Trump administration official told Reuters that Washington was closely monitoring the situation, “including areas where actions on the ground do not yet align with the commitments made.” The official said the administration was engaging both sides, adding that President Trump had made clear he expected “immediate results.”

While Trump hailed the “miracle” agreement signed on Thursday — which includes an economic component aimed at securing US access to critical minerals — analysts expressed doubt that the deal would bring lasting peace. A succession of previous ceasefires has failed to end fighting in the DRC’s conflict-ridden east.

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