DRC: Mineral War Fuels Ongoing Military Clash in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Mar 19, 2023 | Michelle Bozzi, Organization for World Peace
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Sustained combat between the M23 movement and government forces in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has displaced over 300,000 people from their homes throughout the province of North Kivu this past month, as reported by the United Nations refugee agency. Fueled by lingering geopolitical and ethnic tensions from the 1994 Rwandan genocide and an ongoing battle for control over highly-valued natural resources, the alleged Rwanda-backed rebel group has been engaged in military action against the Congolese government since its seizure of capital city Goma in 2012, leaving many vulnerable to military violence and human rights violations. Subsequent escalations from M23 groups, including the recent siege of the Ituri province in 2021, have sparked concern among UN officials and various international agencies about the possibility of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the region.