Rebel Forces Seize Bukavu Amid DRC Turmoil, Claim Control Of Key City

Rebel forces stormed into the heart of Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Sunday, according to local residents who spoke to CNN. The fighters continue to expand their grip on the resource-rich region, raising fears of escalating conflict.

The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a rebel coalition that includes the M23 armed group, announced on Saturday that it had seized control of Kavumu Airport in South Kivu, forcing government forces to retreat “in disarray, abandoning the city of Bukavu.”

Residents reported widespread looting and armed fighters patrolling the streets.

"We have control of Bukavu since this morning," AFC spokesperson Victor Tesongo told CNN on Sunday.

The DRC government has yet to confirm the alleged takeover. CNN has reached out to authorities for comment.

Eyewitness Accounts: Rebels in Control

Bukavu resident Elie Cirhuza said he saw M23 fighters on the streets Sunday.

"I saw them with my own eyes. They say they will soon begin restoring order in the city," he told CNN.

Cirhuza added that government troops had vanished. "I haven’t seen any soldiers. They were gathered near my house the night before yesterday, but they fled."

DRC military spokesperson Sylvain Ekenge Ekenge confirmed to Reuters on Friday that government forces had retreated from Bukavu after rebels took control of the airport.

Another resident, Isaac Musharhamina Goldman, said the rebels had taken over strategic locations, including the provincial governor’s office and residence.

"They control all three city communes, the governor’s office and residence, the Saïo military camp, and the National Communication and Satellite Network," Goldman said. "They also control the two border entrances."

Local reports indicate that provincial governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki fled Bukavu before the rebels entered the city. CNN has reached out to him for comment.

Rebels Tighten Grip on Eastern DRC

The capture of Bukavu comes just weeks after the rebels claimed control of Goma, North Kivu’s capital and the region’s largest city, on January 27.

Fighting in Goma between rebels and DRC forces resulted in over 3,000 deaths, according to government reports.

Tesongo told CNN that the seizure of Goma and Bukavu marked the rebels' most significant territorial expansion. With a combined population of over three million, the two cities are among the most populous in the DRC.

Who’s Supporting the Rebels?

The DRC government and several Western nations accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing M23, a group primarily composed of ethnic Tutsis who defected from the Congolese army over a decade ago.

However, Rwandan President Paul Kagame told CNN this month that he was unaware if Rwandan troops were operating in the DRC.

Since 2022, M23 has waged a renewed insurgency against the Congolese government, claiming to defend minority Rwandophone communities, including Tutsis. Now part of the AFC rebel alliance, the group has seized key resource-rich territories, including Nyabibwe and Rubaya—home to one of the world’s largest coltan deposits, a mineral crucial for smartphone production.

Despite repeated calls for a ceasefire from international and regional leaders, the rebels show no sign of halting their territorial expansion.