Fighters from the M23 movement have seized Lumbishi, a key mining town in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s conflict-ridden east, according to local sources on Sunday.
The mineral-rich settlement, located in the Sud-Kivu region, fell under M23 control around 3:30 pm GMT on Saturday.
The armed group is reportedly advancing towards Numbi and Shanje, two other strategic locations within Kalehe territory.
“Since this morning, there has been fighting against the enemy in Kalehe,” said a security source who requested anonymity.
The M23, also known as the Movement of March 23, has been active in the DR Congo’s eastern regions since 2021, capturing vast mineral-rich areas with the support of Kigali and Rwandan troops. Their renewed offensives have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region, displacing at least 237,000 people since the beginning of January, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Efforts to end the fighting have faced repeated setbacks. A peace summit scheduled for December 15 was abruptly cancelled after the DRC government and M23 rebels failed to agree on the terms for negotiations.
