M23 Rises Again

Since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, the Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered from a series of internal and regional conflicts. Over the last two decades, much of the violence has occurred in the eastern North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces, where dozens of armed groups roam, in some cases with support from other countries in the region.

Over the last year, North Kivu province has become the site of heavy fighting following a resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23). The primarily ethnic Tutsi group formed in 2012, accusing the Congolese government of failing to uphold a 2009 peace agreement. A peace deal reached in late 2013 saw M23 go dormant until March 2022, when it launched a new offensive.

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