President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) abruptly shortened his European trip Friday after the rebel group M23 claimed control of Kavumu Airport, a critical military and humanitarian lifeline near Bukavu in the volatile eastern region.
The move underscores escalating tensions as the conflict threatens to engulf South Kivu Province’s capital, located just 30 kilometers from the newly captured airstrip.
Tshisekedi, who had been attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, will return to Kinshasa by Saturday, according to local media. His decision followed a statement by M23 spokesperson Laurence Kanyuka, who declared the airport’s seizure on social media, framing it as a necessary step to “protect civilians” from government forces. The rebels’ advance toward Bukavu marks a stark reversal of their February assurances that they had no plans to target the city.
“We will not let ourselves be pushed around. We will take our full responsibilities,” Tshisekedi said during a panel discussion in Munich, criticizing the international community’s muted response to the crisis. “If today my country has been attacked in an ostentatious manner and the world has hardly been moved, it means international law is completely called into question here.”
The Kavumu Airport capture is the latest in a string of strategic victories for M23, which seized Goma, the capital of neighboring North Kivu Province, in late January. Since then, the group has expanded its offensive into South Kivu, capturing towns and triggering mass displacement. Local sources report Congolese troops and allied militias retreating toward Uvira, a commercial hub near Burundi, as civilians brace for potential urban combat. Civil society groups in Bukavu have pleaded with authorities to avoid fighting within the city to prevent further civilian casualties.
The conflict’s roots stretch back decades, intertwined with ethnic tensions between Tutsi and Hutu communities and regional power struggles stemming from the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of backing M23, a claim Kigali denies while alleging Congolese collusion with Hutu-led rebel groups linked to the genocide. The proxy war has drawn in multiple regional forces, complicating diplomatic efforts to stabilize the area.
Humanitarian organizations warn of a catastrophic toll. Over 3,000 people have been killed and 500,000 displaced since late January, according to UN figures, adding to the 6.4 million already displaced in eastern DRC. The region’s rich mineral resources, including coltan used in electronics, have long fueled violence, with armed groups vying for control of mines and trade routes.
Tshisekedi’s early return signals mounting domestic pressure as his government faces criticism for its handling of the crisis. He has skipped several high-profile regional summits focused on the conflict, including a recent meeting in Tanzania organized by East African leaders. Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka will represent the DRC at this weekend’s African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, where the crisis is expected to dominate discussions.
Analysts note that the M23’s resurgence exposes the fragility of regional peace initiatives and the limitations of international intervention. Despite years of UN peacekeeping missions and sanctions, the eastern DRC remains a tinderbox of competing interests, where local populations bear the brunt of geopolitical maneuvering. As the rebels inch closer to Bukavu, fears grow that the conflict could spill into neighboring countries, destabilizing a region already grappling with overlapping crises.
The world watches—but for now, as Tshisekedi lamented, it watches in silence.
