Democratic Republic of Congo

DR Congo: M23 Captures Strategic Mining Town Despite Calls for Cease-Fire

Published MAR 21 2025

Story

Above: A M23 soldier stands at the Coltan mining pits in Rubaya on March 5, 2025. Image credit: Camille Laffont/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) confirmed Thursday that the anti-government March 23 Movement (M23) rebels have captured the strategic mining town of Walikale in the eastern province of North Kivu, marking their farthest western advance since the group emerged in 2012.
Al Jazeera
Reuters
According to Radio Okapi, there was almost no fighting during the seizure. Doctors Without Borders, however, reported two huge explosions near the town's general hospital and gunfire near its base. UN experts claim the rebel group is backed by Rwanda.
Anadolu Ajansı
The Associated Press
Walikale is home to some 15K people, as well as several gold mines and tin deposits. Last week, mining group Alphamin halted operations at the Bisie tin mine, the world's third-largest for the tin ore cassiterite, and evacuated its employees due to rebels' advance.
Al Jazeera
The Associated Press
The town is the latest in a series of areas taken over by M23 since an offensive launched in January, including the two largest cities in eastern DRC — Goma and Bukavu. The group now also controls a road linking four eastern provinces and cutting off the army's positions.
The New Times
guardian
The New York Times
Congolese Pres. Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, previously called for an immediate cease-fire to the deadly conflict, following an unexpected meeting in Doha on Wednesday. Rebels who refused to attend direct peace talks in Angola on Tuesday cited foreign interference.
Reuters
The New Times
BBC News
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported this week that Tshisekedi offered mining opportunities in the country to US Pres. Donald Trump early February in exchange for a "formal security pact" to defeat M23, and is in talks with Blackwater's Erik Prince.
The Wall Street Journal
E&E News by POLITICO

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Anti-government armed groups in eastern DRC, of which the M23 is the best known, have always wanted peace, consistently calling for dialogue to end the decades-long conflict. However, Kinshasa continues to act as a puppet in the hands of Western powers and attack the Congolese people.

RT International

Narrative B

It's about time to realize that negotiations will do nothing to solve the conflict in eastern Congo as the actions of Rwanda and its M23 proxy don't match their words. It's no surprise that they agreed to a cease-fire only to continue to advance. As it stands, only further international sanctions can force this war to end.

The Conversation