The death toll from twin explosions in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), climbed to 16 on Friday, as the government and the M23 rebel group traded blame for the attack that has deepened fears of escalating violence in the conflict-ridden region.
The blasts occurred Thursday near a political rally supporting the M23, a rebel faction that has seized control of vast territories in North and South Kivu provinces, including the provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu. Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of terror,” while M23 leaders accused Congolese security forces of orchestrating the explosions to frame the group.
The incident underscores the volatile security climate as M23 tightens its grip on the region. On Friday, the group named a self-styled “governor” for South Kivu, mirroring its February move to install a parallel administration in North Kivu. These actions signal M23’s growing ambition to consolidate political and military control, further destabilizing a region already reeling from decades of conflict rooted in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of backing M23, have reached a boiling point. The DRC government alleges Rwanda provides troops, weapons, and logistical support to the rebels—a claim Kigali denies. Rwanda, in turn, accuses the Congolese army of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu-led militia linked to the genocide against Tutsis.
The humanitarian fallout has been catastrophic. Over 1.5 million people have fled their homes since M23 resumed its offensive in 2022, according to UN estimates, with many crowding into displacement camps lacking food, water, and medical supplies. “Families are sleeping in the open, children are dying of preventable diseases—this is a crisis of dignity,” said Julien Nkolo, a Bukavu-based aid worker.
Diplomatic efforts to mediate the conflict have faltered. A planned meeting of foreign ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) in Harare, Zimbabwe, was abruptly canceled Friday without explanation. The collapse follows a joint SADC-EAC summit in Tanzania three weeks ago, which aimed to revive a stalled peace roadmap for the Great Lakes region.
Analysts warn the stalled diplomacy risks emboldening M23. “Every day without a coordinated regional response allows the rebels to entrench their positions,” said Gisèle Ndaya, a Kinshasa-based security expert. “The international community’s silence is deafening.”
For civilians, the violence has become a grim routine. In Bukavu, residents described scenes of chaos after Thursday’s blasts. “I heard two loud booms, then people screaming,” said local trader Jean-Baptiste Kanyonga. “Bodies were scattered in the market—it’s a miracle I survived.”
As night fell Friday, Bukavu remained under a tense curfew, with soldiers patrolling deserted streets. With no clear path to peace, the DRC’s eastern regions brace for further bloodshed in a conflict that shows no sign of abating.
