The M23 rebel group has extended its territorial control over key areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to updated assessments from international monitoring groups, dealing a fresh blow to regional peace efforts and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe that has displaced more than seven million people inside the country.
The advance, which took place in the final week of March 2026, places M23 fighters closer to the provincial capital of Goma — a city they briefly captured in January 2025 before a partial withdrawal under combined regional military pressure. The new movements have alarmed neighbouring governments and renewed calls from the African Union for an emergency summit on the Congolese conflict.
What the Latest Advance Means
M23 fighters seized the strategic town of Sake and several surrounding villages in late March, consolidating a corridor of control that runs from the Rwandan border deep into North Kivu province. The group, which draws its name from a 2021 peace agreement it signed with the Congolese government, has for years been advancing steadily despite the presence of a UN peacekeeping force and repeated ceasefire declarations.
UN and regional military sources say M23 has benefited from disciplined command structures, effective use of terrain, and — according to multiple international investigations — consistent logistical and tactical support from Rwanda. Kigali denies involvement, but the US imposed targeted sanctions on senior Rwandan military commanders in March 2026 over their alleged role in supporting the rebellion.
The Human Toll
Behind the military calculations lies an enormous human cost. The UN estimates that 7.1 million people are now internally displaced within DR Congo — the highest number of any country in the world — with the vast majority displaced by the fighting in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces. Displacement camps near Goma have expanded dramatically, with aid agencies warning of severe overcrowding, limited food supplies, and disease outbreaks.
Children make up the majority of the displaced. UNICEF has documented widespread recruitment of minors by armed groups on both sides of the conflict, and the education of an entire generation in the worst-affected areas has been effectively suspended.
Diplomatic Stalemate
The failure of the December 2025 Washington-brokered peace agreement to halt M23’s advance has left regional mediators frustrated. The agreement, signed by both DR Congo and Rwanda under American auspices, was hailed as a breakthrough but has repeatedly been violated, with both sides accusing each other of bad faith. M23’s latest movements appear to represent a deliberate effort to improve the group’s tactical position before any renewed negotiations.
President Félix Tshisekedi’s government has called for the immediate deployment of a reinforced African Union peacekeeping force and threatened to seek additional international sanctions against Rwanda if the advance continues. Whether those threats will translate into concrete action remains unclear.
Sources: Reuters, BBC Africa, AllAfrica, Al Jazeera, African News