A new United Nations report finds that Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have grown to roughly 30,000 fighters and are strengthening their grip on eastern Congo, despite a US-brokered peace agreement. UN experts say the accord has produced little real progress, describing recent troop movements as mere repositioning rather than genuine de-escalation. The report accuses Congo’s government of continuing to cooperate with a Rwandan rebel faction in breach of its commitments. It also accuses M23 of building parallel governance and financial systems in occupied territory and recruiting from refugee camps and local communities. Both sides are increasingly using armed drones, heightening risks to civilians. Rwanda’s government has rejected the report’s framing, accusing it of ignoring Congo’s own alleged militia ties.
Bloomberg