Heavy gunfire and explosions shattered the supposed peace in eastern Congo Tuesday night, as M23 rebels stormed the strategic city of Uvira in a brazen offensive that has sent government forces fleeing and trapped thousands in their homes, just days after a U.S.-brokered truce was meant to end the war.
The assault marks a catastrophic and humiliating failure for the peace deal brokered last week by former U.S. President Donald Trump between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame. As rebels patrolled the deserted streets under cover of darkness, the celebrated ceasefire lay in tatters, replaced by the chilling reality of urban combat.
“Uvira is Done For”: Chaos and a Looming Massacre
The scene in Uvira, the last major government-held city in the mineral-rich east, was one of sheer panic. “It’s chaotic, nobody’s in charge. Uvira is done for,” a Burundian officer told AFP. Terrified residents reported soldiers discarding their uniforms and fleeing the advancing rebels, while others hid under beds as bombs exploded in the surrounding hills.
“We are all under the beds in Uvira—that’s the reality,” one resident said. Despite frantic denials from South Kivu’s governor that the city had fallen, local accounts and rights officials warned of a “risk of a massacre” if remaining loyalist troops mounted a last stand.
A Truce in Name Only: The Rebels Who Weren’t at the Table
The offensive exposes a fatal flaw in the Trump-mediated agreement: the M23 rebels, who are spearheading the attack and now control vast swathes of territory, were not party to the deal. While Tshisekedi and Kagame shook hands, the M23—which UN experts say is under the “de facto control” of the Rwandan army—was already on the move.
President Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of “deliberate violations,” calling the conflict a “proxy war” for control of critical minerals. Rwanda, in turn, denies involvement and blames Congo and Burundi for bombing its border. The mutual accusations reveal a truth the peace deal ignored: the fighting was never between two presidents, but on behalf of a powerful, motivated militia.
Why It Matters
The human cost is spiraling. The UN reports at least 74 killed and over 200,000 displaced this month alone. A staggering 30,000 refugees have poured into Burundi in the past week, with over 8,000 arriving daily as Uvira collapses. This latest offensive, nearly one year after the M23 seized other major cities, proves the group’s strength is only growing.
The U.S., EU, and eight European nations have issued a joint statement of “profound concern,” directly accusing Rwanda of backing the rebels and warning of the conflict’s “destabilising potential for the whole region.” Their words ring hollow against the sound of gunfire in a city that was supposed to be at peace.
The guns in Uvira are not just attacking a city; they are executing a deliberate, calculated insult to international diplomacy. The Trump truce lasted less than a week. The message from the M23, and its alleged patrons, is clear: in the fight for Congo’s mineral-rich earth, paper deals are worthless, and only territory matters.
