M23 fighters and Rwandan troops have seized the airport serving Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, security and humanitarian sources confirmed on Friday.
The airport, located in Kavumu, is a key strategic site where Congolese troops have been stationed. Its capture marks the last military barrier before Bukavu, a city of one million people, located approximately 30 kilometres (17 miles) away.
This development occurred as African leaders gathered for the 38th African Union summit in Addis Ababa, where discussions included the escalating violence in eastern Congo and concerns over a potential wider regional conflict.
M23 rebels, who seized control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, in a swift offensive in late January, have continued their southward push towards Bukavu.
Security sources reported that the fighters encountered minimal resistance upon entering Kavumu.
The fall of Bukavu would be a significant development, as the city previously came under the control of Congolese army deserters in 2004. If captured, M23 would effectively dominate the entire Lake Kivu region.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing Congolese military vehicles withdrawing towards Bukavu, while soldiers and their families were seen leaving the Nyamunyunye military camp near the airport.
In Bukavu, authorities sent government workers home, and businesses shut down as uncertainty loomed over the city’s fate.
