Over the past 30 years, the eastern and northeastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), despite the long-standing presence of UN peacekeeping forces, have been mired in a quagmire of endless armed clashes between various armed groups, both local and from neighboring countries.

Most experts agree that the instability of this region is caused by the struggle for its vast natural resources not only between local, but also regional and global players. The US Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the value of these resources to be $24 trillion.

Currently, writes Al Jazeera, there are between 120 and 140 local armed groups operating there. In addition, the situation in the region is complicated by the fact that rebel organizations from neighboring Rwanda and Uganda (the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces of Uganda, respectively) have found refuge here while fighting against their governments.

The most active of all armed groups is the M23 rebel group (March 23 Movement), which previously positioned itself as a defender of the Tutsi ethnic minority in the DRC. However, since 2021, in the fight against Kinshasa, it has enjoyed the support of the ruling Rwandan Tutsi regime in Kigali, led by President Paul Kagame.

Under the pretext of fighting the FDLR—but more to support M23—Rwanda illegally deployed part of its armed forces into the territory of the DRC. Despite the fact that last year a group of UN experts established that Rwanda deployed more than 3,000 of its troops in North Kivu province and had evidence, including photographs, confirming their participation in hostilities on the side of M23, Kigali denies these indisputable facts.

Many experts say that the military presence of Rwanda in the DRC played a crucial role in a new wave of M23 military operations. In recent years, it has been actively involved in training M23 fighters, and........

© New Eastern Outlook