Democratic Republic of the Congo

Suspected Allied Democratic Forces fighters have killed at least 23 people in an attack in eastern DR Congo, local officials said Monday, in the latest violence in the turbulent region.

The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in eastern Congo is swatting incessant calls to fire its first shot against rebels as frustration grows among Congolese civilians who cite the slow progress to bring lasting peace in the restive region.

Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have discovered mass graves containing the bodies of 49 civilians following a series of attacks blamed on a local armed group.

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said Tuesday the M23 rebel group had not fully withdrawn from areas it seized in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, accusing the militia of faking an agreed pullback of its forces.

Islamic extremists claimed responsibility Monday for a bombing of a church in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as authorities said that the toll from Sunday's attack had risen to at least 14 dead.

[…] Reports have suggested the presence of Russian mercenaries in North Kivu province on government’s invitation to help deal with the rebel group [M23].

Suspected CODECO militants killed at least 24 civilians over the weekend in several villages of eastern DR Congo’s troubled Ituri province, local civilian sources said Monday.

United Nations intelligence analysts have spotted suspected movements by M23 rebels in parts of eastern Congo from which they were meant to have withdrawn and signs the armed group has seized ground in other areas, internal UN documents showed on Thursday.

[…] MONUSCO has launched a new operation to protect civilians in North Kivu province, the epicenter of the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo. The move came shortly after fighting resumed on Sunday between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the rebel group M23, 70 kilometers north of Goma, the capital of North Kivu.

A withdrawal announced 10 days ago by the M23 rebel group from a strategic town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has not been “effective,” locals said on Monday.