M23 Rebels Enter Bukavu as Conflict in Eastern DRC Escalates

M23 rebels have entered Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern DRC, despite international calls for a ceasefire. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, confirmed the rebels’ presence in the South Kivu provincial capital. The Rwandan-backed militants’ advance has led to mass displacement, with hundreds of thousands forced from their homes in recent weeks. Meanwhile, 13 South African soldiers serving in the SADC peacekeeping force have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.