In Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 200 police officers and soldiers have defected to the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23), a rebel movement active in the country's east. The defection ceremony took place in front of the provincial police headquarters,

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels advanced on Sunday into the centre of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, meeting little resistance from government troops, witnesses and the armed group said, as Congo accused Rwanda of ignoring calls for a ceasefire.

The DRC government has accused Rwanda of orchestrating the offensive, citing M23’s military precision and advanced weaponry as clear evidence of foreign support. Rwandan President Paul Kagame denies involvement,

The Rwandan-backed rebels' entry into Bukavu follows their capture of Goma, defying international calls for a ceasefire.

The capture of Bukavu would represent an unprecedented expansion of territory under the M23's control since the latest insurgency started in 2022.

Bukavu rises from chaos, but scars remain. Looters and rebels left devastation, yet merchants return, clinging to hope. As M23 advances, fear grips the region—will peace hold, or is worse to come?

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have captured the eastern city of Bukavu with the backing of Rwandan forces, the second major city in the mineral-rich Kivu region to fall in three weeks.

M23 rebels have advanced into the centre of Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.