Masisi, a rich agricultural and mining town in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has fallen to M23 rebel fighters.
The rebels captured the strategic administrative center, located roughly 80 kilometers from the provincial capital Goma, on Saturday. The move deepens an already dire humanitarian crisis in the region, with thousands displaced.
“The security situation remains very tense in the city of Masisi a day after the rebels managed to capture this strategic area, the second-largest territory [taken] from the government forces,” reported Al Jazeera’s Alain Uaykani from Goma.
The United Nations estimates nearly a million people were displaced last year alone due to the conflict, and Masisi’s fall risks further destabilizing the region.
The DRC government has repeatedly accused neighbouring Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation that Kigali denies. Mediation talks led by Angola collapsed in December, with disagreements over the terms of a proposed peace deal. Despite the growing crisis, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi remains steadfast in his refusal to engage in direct dialogue with the rebel group.
M23, primarily based in the North Kivu province, has a history of deadly insurgency. Formed over a decade ago, the group is largely led by members of the Tutsi ethnic group, who claim to defend their communities against Hutu militias. These groups fled Rwanda following the 1994 genocide and continue to operate in the DRC.
The seizure of Masisi has displaced thousands of residents, many of whom have joined the millions already sheltering in overcrowded camps around Goma. The region’s rich mineral resources and fertile land have made it a hotspot for conflict, further complicating peace efforts.
