The Eastern DR Congo Conflict
A neutral, source-attributed briefing on the war in eastern DR Congo — M23, dozens of armed groups, and one of the world's largest displacement crises.
Open the live conflict map → Common questionsLast updated: 2026-08-06 · Evergreen briefing — the live map and the headlines below carry the latest developments.
Key locations: DR Congo Conflict
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Gomacity-1.6792, 29.2228
Capital of North Kivu province and eastern DRC's largest city, on the Rwandan border, captured by M23 in January 2025.
Control: M23, backed by Rwandan forces — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-08-03
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Bukavucity-2.5083, 28.8608
Capital of South Kivu province on Lake Kivu, seized by M23 in February 2025 shortly after the fall of Goma.
Control: M23, backed by Rwandan forces — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-08-03
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Kinshasacity-4.4419, 15.2663
The Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, on the Congo River in the far west of the country, seat of President Félix Tshisekedi's government.
Control: Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo — Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker, as of 2026-08-03
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Kisanganicity0.5167, 25.2000
Major Congo River port city in the country's northeast interior, a historic strategic prize in successive Congolese conflicts.
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Benicity0.4906, 29.4736
North Kivu city near the Ugandan border that has been a recurring target of attacks attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
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Butembocity0.1500, 29.2833
Commercial hub in North Kivu province, north of Goma, situated amid overlapping armed-group activity in the eastern Congo conflict zone.
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Uviraborder-3.4000, 29.1500
South Kivu town on Lake Tanganyika near the Burundian border, a strategic gateway between eastern DRC and the African Great Lakes region.
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Kasindiborder0.1667, 29.7000
Main official border crossing between North Kivu and Uganda, a key commercial trade route into eastern DRC.
Key facts
- The Eastern DR Congo Conflict is a multi-party insurgency in Central Africa, currently Active (High intensity).
- Eastern DR Congo, especially North and South Kivu, is gripped by a war in which the Rwanda-backed M23 rebellion seized the regional capitals of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 and still holds much of the two provinces, alongside scores of other armed groups. A US-brokered DRC–Rwanda agreement (Washington, June 2025) and Qatar-mediated DRC–M23 talks under the Doha Framework (November 2025) have produced a fragile, only partly implemented ceasefire, while the fighting has driven one of the world's largest displacement crises, with more than 7 million people internally displaced.
- Key actors: DR Congo armed forces (FARDC), M23 (AFC/M23), Other armed groups.
- What's at stake: Humanitarian catastrophe, Regional war risk, Mineral resources.
Latest developments
The headlines below are pulled automatically from Google News (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and link to primary reporting. They are updated periodically; last refreshed 2026-08-06.
- Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Global Conflict Tracker2026-07-29 — Council on Foreign Relations
- After peace talks stall, can a national dialogue help DR Congo find a way forward?2026-08-04 — The New Humanitarian
- Beyond M23: Addressing the Underlying Drivers of the DRC Conflict2026-07-29 — Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- DR Congo: Rwanda, M23 Forcibly Recruit, Detain Thousands2026-06-10 — Human Rights Watch
- The M23: A Fractious, Entrenched Rebellion2026-04-01 — Center on International Cooperation
- UN sanctions armed groups' leaders in eastern Congo2026-07-17 — Reuters
- M23 rebels: UN sees progress in talks but warns violence persists2026-02-05 — UN News
- Congo: UN laments uptick in fighting in South Kivu2026-07-09 — DW.com
Overview
Eastern DR Congo, especially North and South Kivu, is gripped by a war in which the Rwanda-backed M23 rebellion seized the regional capitals of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 and still holds much of the two provinces, alongside scores of other armed groups. A US-brokered DRC–Rwanda agreement (Washington, June 2025) and Qatar-mediated DRC–M23 talks under the Doha Framework (November 2025) have produced a fragile, only partly implemented ceasefire, while the fighting has driven one of the world's largest displacement crises, with more than 7 million people internally displaced.
This page is an evergreen orientation. Figures and control change continually — confirm the latest with the primary sources listed below.
Key actors
- DR Congo armed forces (FARDC) — the national military.
- M23 (AFC/M23) — a Rwanda-backed rebel coalition that seized Goma and Bukavu in early 2025.
- Other armed groups — dozens operating across the Kivus and Ituri.
- Rwanda — widely reported, including by UN experts, to back and deploy troops alongside M23; Kigali denies direct involvement.
What's at stake
- Humanitarian catastrophe: one of the world's largest displacement crises.
- Regional war risk: tensions between neighboring states.
- Mineral resources: control of strategically valuable mining areas.
- Civilian protection: atrocities against civilians in the east.
DR Congo Conflict explained: the key dynamics
M23 and the Kivus
The most prominent current flashpoint is the M23 rebellion in North and South Kivu, whose advances have triggered regional tensions and accusations of external backing by neighboring states.
Dozens of armed groups
Beyond M23, eastern Congo hosts scores of armed groups competing for territory, minerals, and local power, making it one of the world's most complex conflict landscapes.
A vast displacement crisis
The fighting has driven one of the largest internal displacement crises on the planet, with millions uprooted and humanitarian conditions in the east severely strained.
Timeline: how the dr congo conflict unfolded
- 1996–2003 — Two Congo wars draw in multiple neighboring states.
- 2012–13 — An earlier M23 rebellion briefly seizes the city of Goma.
- 2021–22 — M23 re-emerges and launches new offensives in the east.
- 2024–26 — M23 advances and regional tensions escalate amid mass displacement.
How this conflict is mapped and tracked
Eastern Congo's many overlapping armed groups make it one of the hardest conflicts to map; ACLED tracks events across the Kivus and Ituri, and UCDP records numerous dyads. Displacement is estimated by humanitarian agencies. The sheer number of actors means figures are partial estimates.
For how these datasets differ, see ACLED vs UCDP vs CFR and our guide to conflict-tracking tools.
Conflict in Eastern DRC: M23, Rwanda, and the Mineral War
The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been the site of overlapping armed conflicts since the 1990s. The most recent escalation centers on the March 23 Movement (M23), a Tutsi-led rebel group that resurfaced in 2022 after a decade of dormancy. M23 has captured significant territory in North and South Kivu, including the strategic city of Goma — the region's economic hub — in early 2024.
The United Nations Group of Experts and multiple governments have documented Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) personnel operating alongside M23 units, providing artillery support, logistics, and command coordination. Rwanda denies direct military involvement but acknowledges 'defensive' deployments. The conflict is partly driven by competition over mineral-rich territory containing coltan, gold, and cobalt — materials critical to global electronics supply chains.
The Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), supported by the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) and UN peacekeepers (MONUSCO), have been unable to reverse M23 territorial gains. An estimated 7,700 to 10,000 people were killed in 2025, alongside catastrophic civilian displacement exceeding 7 million people in the eastern region.
How it fits the global picture
This is one of 29 active armed conflict theaters tracked on the Global Armed Conflicts Map. Explore related and concurrent conflicts:
Frequently asked questions
What is happening in eastern Congo in 2026?
The Rwanda-backed M23 captured Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 and still holds much of the Kivus, while a US-brokered DRC–Rwanda deal (June 2025) and Qatar-mediated Doha talks have produced a fragile, only partly implemented ceasefire. Confirm the current status with ACLED, UCDP and the CFR Global Conflict Tracker.
What is M23?
M23 (part of the AFC/M23 coalition) is a Rwanda-backed armed group in eastern DR Congo that seized Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 and is at the center of the war and the regional peace process; Rwanda denies backing it.
How can I follow it live?
Use the interactive conflict map to see this theater alongside 28 other active conflicts, filter by intensity and region, and open intelligence briefings for each.
Why is there fighting in eastern Congo?
The east combines unresolved legacies of regional wars, competition over valuable minerals, weak state control, and rivalries between neighboring states — sustaining dozens of armed groups including M23.
Is Rwanda involved in the M23 conflict?
Neighboring states have been widely accused of backing M23, an allegation they dispute. This regional dimension is central to the conflict's escalation and is a contested point — consult current reporting.
Source provenance
- Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker 3 days · as of 2026-08-03
- News feed 0 days · as of 2026-08-06
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-06 | Headlines refreshed | News feed |
| 2026-08-03 | Goma control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |
| 2026-08-03 | Bukavu control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |
| 2026-08-03 | Kinshasa control updated | Council on Foreign Relations, Global Conflict Tracker |