In a troubling escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), government forces and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels traded blame for a deadly explosion during a rally in the rebel-held city of Bukavu on Thursday. The attack, which killed at least 13 people and injured dozens more, has further heightened tensions in a region already gripped by conflict, raising fears of a broader regional war.
The explosion occurred during a rally at Bukavu’s central square, where one of the M23 rebel leaders was delivering a speech. According to the DRC’s army, Rwandan troops and their proxies launched rockets and grenades into the crowd, leading to a massacre of innocent civilians. Congo’s interior ministry swiftly condemned the attack, blaming the Rwandan army and its “proxies” for bombing and firing live ammunition at the population. “The Rwandan army and its (proxies) bombed and fired live ammunition at the civilian population,” the ministry stated in a statement posted on social media platform X.
Rwanda has denied the accusation, with a spokesperson for the government declining to comment on the situation. The Rwandan government has long rejected claims that it supports the M23 rebels, despite mounting evidence suggesting otherwise.
Meanwhile, Corneille Nangaa, a leader of the M23 alliance, pointed fingers at the Congolese government, specifically at President Félix Tshisekedi. Nangaa, speaking on Thursday, alleged that the grenades used in the attack were of the same type as those reportedly used by the Burundian military, which is supporting Congolese forces in the conflict. The Burundian army, however, has denied any involvement in the attack, with a spokesman stating that none of its soldiers were present in Bukavu. Despite this, the allegations remain a point of contention between the warring parties, further complicating an already fragile situation.
Two witnesses told Reuters they had seen an attacker attempt to throw a grenade at a convoy of rebel leaders but miss his target, inadvertently killing several people gathered at the rally. One of the witnesses described the explosion as occurring too soon, killing the attacker and several others in the crowd. “The grenade exploded too soon,” said one witness, emphasizing the tragic and chaotic nature of the incident. The explosion, which left nearly 100 people seriously wounded, has shaken the local population.
In the wake of the attack, residents of Bukavu rallied to help those affected. Many volunteers gathered at local hospitals to donate blood after hearing that blood stocks had been depleted in the aftermath of the explosion. A medical source revealed that the city’s general hospital had treated 68 people for injuries, while the Congolese interior ministry indicated that nearly 100 individuals had been seriously injured in the blast.
Grief and Uncertainty: Families Await Information on Victims
As the death toll mounted, relatives of the victims anxiously awaited updates on their loved ones. The hospital in Bukavu informed grieving families that it would not release any bodies on Friday, leaving many in limbo as they awaited word on when they would be allowed to claim the remains of their relatives. “They tell us authorization hasn’t been given yet,” said Jean-Paul Mulagizi, whose brother was among the victims. “Will it come today, tomorrow, or the day after? We have no certainty.”
The grief-stricken families were left in uncertainty as local authorities struggled to manage the aftermath of the attack, while volunteers continued to offer support in any way they could. The scene at the hospital, where blood donations were in high demand, painted a picture of a community united in the face of tragedy, though the deeper political and military conflict continued to simmer.
Escalating Conflict and Regional Implications
The violence in Bukavu is part of a broader and more dangerous conflict that has been intensifying in eastern Congo for months. Since the beginning of this year, M23 rebels have made significant territorial gains, including capturing the two major cities of Goma and Bukavu. Their advance has not only drawn in the Congolese military but also involved neighboring armies, particularly Rwanda and Uganda. The growing involvement of these regional powers has raised serious concerns about the potential for the conflict to spill over into neighboring countries and ignite a wider regional war.
The United Nations (UN) and international observers have repeatedly condemned the violence, but peace efforts have yielded little tangible progress. The ongoing conflict has caused significant displacement, with the UN refugee agency reporting that over 60,000 people have fled into neighboring Burundi in the past two weeks alone. The overall humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo has worsened, with more than 7,000 people killed and nearly half a million left homeless after the destruction of 90 displacement camps.
International Response and Sanctions
As the violence continues, the international community has been responding with a mix of sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on a Rwandan minister in response to Rwanda’s alleged role in supporting the M23 rebels. The UK has also warned that it may pause bilateral aid to Rwanda and impose additional diplomatic sanctions unless Rwanda withdraws its troops from Congo.
Congo’s communications minister, Patrick Muyaya, expressed frustration with the lack of effectiveness of international sanctions. “The sanctions, they have started but they are not enough,” he said. “The proof is that the Rwandan army is still there.” Rwanda maintains that its forces are acting in self-defense, fighting against Congolese troops and armed groups aligned with them, including Rwandan Hutu rebels responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
Diplomatic Efforts and Ceasefire Negotiations
Despite the mounting violence, there have been ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The president of Burundi, a regional ally of Congo, stated on Thursday that a negotiated solution to the crisis was still possible. However, the path to peace remains uncertain. A planned meeting of ministers from Southern and East African regional blocs, which was set to discuss a potential ceasefire, was postponed on Friday, according to diplomats and sources within Congo’s president’s office.
The regional blocs are considering the possibility of deploying troops to secure areas under M23 rebel control, according to a document seen by Reuters. The deployment of peacekeeping forces, however, has been met with skepticism, as the region’s military and political dynamics remain highly complex and fraught with tension.
Conclusion: A Fragile Peace in Jeopardy
The explosion in Bukavu is a grim reminder of the fragile peace in eastern Congo and the escalating tensions that threaten to destabilize the entire region. With the involvement of neighboring countries, including Rwanda and Burundi, and the persistence of armed groups like the M23, the situation in the DRC remains precarious. Diplomatic efforts to bring about a ceasefire continue, but until a lasting political solution is found, the violence is likely to persist, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and the suffering of the civilian population.
As international sanctions and peace negotiations play out, the people of Bukavu and eastern Congo are left to endure the fallout from yet another tragic chapter in their long-running struggle for peace and stability.
