M23 Rebel entered Bukavu city, the second-largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after advancing rapidly in the country.
A local official, a security source, and five witnesses reported seeing the rebels there on Sunday, while a spokesperson for the militia told the Reuters news agency: “We are there.”
The armed group had been advancing on the capital of South Kivu province since seizing the city of Goma in late January. The fall of Bukavu, if confirmed, would represent the most significant expansion of territory under the M23’s control since the latest armed rebellion started in 2022.
M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma said in a telephone message that the group was in the city.
The Congolese army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I’m at home, and I can see with my own eyes the M23 entering our town,” a local official said, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
_News Source Reuters: Gathered_
