More than half a million people fled their homes in eastern Congo, and they may never be able to return. To understand why this region remains trapped in such devastating cycles of violence and displacement, we must look back three decades. The roots of Congo’s current crisis stretch back to 1994, when Rwanda experienced one of the most devastating genocides in modern history. During that time, members of Rwanda’s Hutu majority killed an estimated 800,000 people, primarily targeting the Tutsi minority ethnic group. In the aftermath, more than a million Hutus, including some who participated in the genocide, fled into neighboring eastern Congo to escape retribution from the new Tutsi-led government in Rwanda. This mass influx fundamentally destabilized the region, as eastern Congo harbored both Hutu refugees and long-established Congolese Tutsi communities, Rwanda’s ethnic tensions seeping across the border. Since then, Rwanda has repeatedly intervened in eastern Congo, claiming to protect Congolese Tutsis while simultaneously pursuing economic interests in the mineral-rich region. This complex dynamic has sparked numerous conflicts, with various armed groups—many supported by either Rwanda or Congo—fighting for control of territory and resources, leading to a seemingly endless cycle of violence that has claimed millions of lives over three decades. As of recently, the war escalated as a rebel militia known as M23 infiltrated Congo’s mineral-rich land. The United Nations and Western nations report that Rwanda is directly backing M23, with an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops deployed in Congo’s North Kivu region, though Rwanda’s President Kagame denies any involvement. The M23 rebels launched their offensive on January 26, 2025, and after a devastating battle that killed nearly 3,000 people and wounded over 2,800– making it one of the deadliest battles in decades in the Democratic Republic of Congo– the M23 militia conquered Goma on January 30.
M23 appears to be establishing long-term control, collecting taxes and implementing governance structures. They’ve already seized valuable mining areas, including Rubaya which contains one of the world’s largest coltan mines, generating over $800,000 monthly in profits. UN experts also have documented the illegal export of at least 150 tons of coltan to Rwanda. Furthermore, the rebels have stated they plan to march to the capital, Kinshasa, nearly a thousand miles to the west, and take over the whole country.
The humanitarian situation is severe– approximately 700,000 people have been displaced, and basic services like water and electricity are cut off in Goma. Over 21 million people in Congo now require humanitarian aid. Humanitarian agencies are unable to reach several areas of the city that are significantly affected by the looting of stores, supermarkets, and humanitarian agencies’ warehouses, losing months of aid received. Furthermore, access to necessary healthcare is limited. Those who have survived but are in critical condition due to untreated wounds from gunfire are at last making it to clinics for treatment, however they are met with a shortage of medicine and medical personnel. In the aftermath of the conflict, dead bodies littered the streets, and mass graves were dug in order to handle the casualties.
As for international response, foreign involvement has been notably weaker than in 2012 when similar pressure forced M23 to withdraw from Goma. While nations have condemned Rwanda’s actions, they haven’t applied the same level of pressure, possibly due to Rwanda’s strategic importance to Western investment and development interests. It is crucial to note that the Trump administration’s recent freeze on foreign aid threatens to worsen the crisis– as the US provided 68.8% of Congo’s humanitarian aid last year. However, the US is also Rwanda’s biggest bilateral donor, giving over $188 million to the country in 2023. According to analysts, withdrawing aid may have the U.S. be in a weaker position to influence Rwanda.
Regional leaders are attempting to initiate peace talks. Kenya’s President William Ruto announced that Presidents Kagame and Tshisekedi agreed to attend an emergency summit, while U.S. Secretary Rubio has called for negotiations to restart. Angola has also been involved in organizing regional peace discussions. The situation remains volatile as M23 continues to break ceasefires and open new fronts.
Written by Cameron To
