Many Congolese see the rebel advance as an invasion of their country by a foreign power in an attempt to seize land and Congo’s valuable rare minerals.

Rebel forces backed by Rwanda have captured the town of Masisi in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to various reports. This is the second town seized by the M23 group in as many days in the mineral-rich North Kivu province.

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been gripped by years of conflict that have displaced millions of people. The start of 2025 marked an escalation of the violence as rebels aligned with Rwanda closed in on a key Congolese trading hub,