Recent clashes between M23 rebels and the Congolese military, bolstered by pro-government Wazalendo militias, have triggered widespread displacement across multiple localities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The violence, unfolding mere days after a landmark peace framework agreement in Doha, Qatar, underscores the fragility of diplomatic gains in a region plagued by decades of armed conflict, resource exploitation, and cross-border tensions. As of November 29, 2025, the United Nations estimates over 7.8 million internally displaced persons in the DRC, with North and South Kivu provinces bearing the heaviest burden. This latest surge in fighting has worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis, with health facilities looted and civilians caught in the crossfire.
The Doha agreement, signed on November 15, 2025, between the Congolese government and M23 leaders, was described as a historic roadmap toward lasting peace. Brokered by Qatar with strong U.S. support, it commits both sides to an immediate ceasefire, the restoration of state authority, and governance reforms, including the safe and dignified return of displaced people. Congolese envoy Sumbu Sita Mambu and M23 executive secretary Benjamin Mbonimpa publicly shook hands at the ceremony in Doha’s Sheraton Hotel, attended by senior Qatari and American officials. The Qatari mediator stressed that sustainable peace must be built on mutual respect and genuine commitment, building on earlier confidence-building steps taken in July and October 2025.
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, fighting resumed almost immediately. On Thursday, November 27, heavy clashes broke out in several areas of North Kivu province, including Kibati in Walikale territory, Kinyumba, and Nyabiondo in Masisi territory. Local residents reported that the violence began when Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) launched attacks on M23 positions in Kinyumba, prompting a swift rebel counteroffensive. The Congolese military deployed a fighter jet to bombard rebel-held areas in Kibati and Kasopo in Masisi territory. Terrified civilians fled into the bush as explosions rocked surrounding villages.
The human cost has been devastating. In Kautu village near Mahanga town, a bomb explosion seriously injured at least one civilian. A local resident named Jean-Pierre told reporters: “The victim was treated at a local health facility, but the problem remains the lack of medicines as the region’s health facilities have been looted during the recent clashes between rebels and government forces.” Looting of clinics has become routine, leaving survivors with nowhere to seek care.
M23 fighters seized control of Mahanga town in Masisi territory earlier this week after several days of combat. Vianney Kitswamba, a security coordinator in Masisi, described the situation as extremely precarious, with entire districts now deserted. “Families have fled their homes again, even though many had only just returned after previous displacements,” he said.
In South Kivu province, the violence has taken an even darker turn. Between the night of November 23 and the morning of November 24, more than 22 young men aged 20 to 40 were brutally shot dead in Irhambi Katana, Kabare territory. The Congolese military confirmed the massacre, stating that the victims had been accused by M23 elements of collaborating with Wazalendo militias. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege condemned the killings in a widely shared statement, declaring that the young men were first arrested and then summarily executed. He also reported that M23 fighters stormed the Katana health center the same night, killing one patient and two nurses in what he described as a grave war crime.
The broader pattern of violence remains unrelenting. In October 2025, the Congolese research institute Ebuteli documented M23 and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) as the two most lethal armed groups operating in the country. Between November 13 and 19 alone, ADF attacks in several localities of North Kivu province claimed at least 89 civilian lives, with fighters using machetes and setting fire to homes and medical wards.
Accusations that Rwanda continues to back M23, despite repeated denials from Kigali, remain at the heart of the conflict. Kinshasa, the United Nations, and numerous human rights organizations insist that Rwandan troops and equipment are actively supporting the rebellion. Rwanda maintains that any presence on Congolese soil is defensive, aimed at neutralizing threats from Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide.
With over 2,500 conflict-related deaths recorded in the first quarter of 2025 alone, and sexual violence continuing as a weapon of war, the humanitarian situation in eastern DRC has reached catastrophic levels. More than 11 million people now require urgent assistance, yet armed groups routinely block roads and attack aid convoys. Health facilities, schools, and displacement camps have all become targets.
The Doha agreement offered a glimmer of hope, but the rapid return to open warfare demonstrates how deeply entrenched the interests fueling this conflict remain. Without decisive international pressure, enforced ceasefires, and accountability for atrocities committed by all sides, the people of eastern Congo face yet another cycle of displacement, grief, and despair.
