The M23 group has taken control of Kavumu, a town in South Kivu Province, escalating tensions in eastern DR Congo.
The capture includes Kavumu Airport, a key military and logistical hub used by the Congolese army to launch operations against the rebels.
According to M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the group now controls the airport and its surrounding areas, positioning itself just 30 kilometres north of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.
"As we have repeatedly stressed, we have eliminated the threat at the source. Kavumu airport posed a danger to the civilian population in the liberated areas and our positions," Kanyuka said.
"From now on, Kavumu and its surroundings, including the airport, are under the control of the AFC/M23."
Video footage from the region shows M23 fighters advancing toward Bukavu, where heavy gunfire has been reported in the city centre.
The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) are said to be retreating. There were also unverified clips circulating on social media allegedly of government forces celebrating with the rebels, raising concerns that Bukavu could fall to the rebels any time.
The situation mirrors the recent takeover of Goma Airport, a key trade hub in North Kivu. With both Kavumu and Goma now reportedly under M23 control, the group has announced plans to push further westward, including towards Kinshasa, the country’s capital.
The rapid advances have fuelled fears of a wider conflict, particularly as Rwandan support for M23 continues to be a point of contention between Kinshasa and Kigali.
South Kivu is the second largest city in mineral-rich but restive eastern DR Congo and its capture would leave only the last province of Ituri standing.
The UPDF have a big presence in Ituri where it runs Operation Shuja jointly with the Congolese national army.
As tensions rise on the battlefield, President Félix Tshisekedi has opted to skip the African Union summit, instead traveling to Germany, which has become the first European country to propose sanctions against Rwanda over its alleged backing of M23.
On the margins of the Munich Security Conference, Tshisekedi met with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan to present his case against Rwanda’s alleged involvement in M23’s operations.
The conflict in eastern DR Congo, rooted in longstanding ethnic, political, and economic grievances, continues to destabilise the region, with growing international calls for accountability.
The ICC prosecutor’s office has signalled a commitment to accelerating investigations into international crimes linked to the fighting.