The M23 rebel group, took control of Kamandi Gite, a strategic town in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) near the Ugandan border, on Sunday, November 3. Kamandi Gite, located on the shores of Lake Edward, provides a key route to Beni City.
Following the takeover, local media reported that a significant number of residents were displaced as a result of clashes between M23 forces and local self-defense militias known as Wezalendo, which are allied with the DRC military.
The renewed hostilities come amid ongoing peace efforts led by Angola, which is mediating talks between Rwanda and the DRC as part of the Luanda process. Representatives from both countries are scheduled to meet again on November 16 to finalize a plan that includes troop withdrawals and the neutralization of the FDLR, a militia with members linked to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
Despite ongoing negotiations, the M23 rebel advance underscores persistent instability in the region as both countries work towards a solution.
