Renewed Fighting in Eastern Congo Undermines Washington-Brokered 'Historic' Peace Deal

Violence Surges Despite Washington Agreement

Fierce clashes have resumed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) despite a high-profile peace agreement signed in Washington, D.C., where U.S. President Donald Trump joined Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for the ceremony. The pact — presented by the White House as a "historic" step — finalized a deal that had been negotiated in June and followed months of diplomacy involving the United States, the African Union and Qatar.

Residents and local officials said the fighting intensified in recent days, with the town of Kamanyola, near the borders with Rwanda and Burundi, among the worst affected. Civilians reported fleeing bombardments and seeking safety across the border or in calmer neighborhoods.

"People are fleeing; they are leaving the neighborhoods where the bombs are falling to go to areas considered calm, and others are fleeing towards Rwanda," Kamanyola resident Urbain Dunia told The Associated Press by telephone.

Samson Alimasi, another resident, added: "Yesterday, we saw that agreements were signed, but we don’t see any positive impact on this situation, and that worries us. We only see bombs falling without knowing which side they are coming from."

The Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 and the Congolese armed forces have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms. M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka blamed the Congolese army, accusing Kinshasa's coalition of continuing to bomb rebel positions. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa posted on X that some shelling reported by residents originated from Burundian Army positions across the border; that claim could not be independently verified by reporters.

The Congolese army in the South Kivu region, which includes Kamanyola, issued a statement blaming M23 and denouncing what it described as rebel attacks on schools. Observers and residents report scattered pockets of clashes across eastern Congo as both sides exchange accusations.

Wider Context

Earlier this year, M23 seized the key eastern cities of Goma and Bukavu, marking a significant escalation. M23 is one of roughly 100 armed groups vying for control in mineral-rich eastern Congo, a conflict that has produced one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises: officials say more than 7 million people have been displaced.

United Nations experts estimate that the rebels have received backing from about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda. At times M23 has threatened to advance as far as Kinshasa, roughly 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) west of the eastern frontlines.

For now, the Washington ceremony has not produced an immediate reduction in violence on the ground. Local fears and displacement continue while international actors and regional governments seek ways to enforce and monitor any ceasefire commitments.