M23 rebels seize 2 villages in DR Congo, putting Doha deal at risk

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo

M23 rebels have captured two villages in the Masisi territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern province of North Kivu, despite a recent agreement signed in Qatar.

The M23 fighters took control of Ngululu and Ndete, located in the Nyamaboko groupment, following fierce battles Monday with local self-defense forces known as the Wazalendo.

“The rebel offensive targeted Wazalendo positions in both villages. Faced with the intensity of the fighting, the Wazalendo fled, leaving the villages under M23 control,” resident Kilengo Matheu told Anadolu.

Anticipating the attack, residents of Ngululu and Ndete fled en masse before the arrival of the rebels. Two main waves of displaced persons have been reported: one heading toward the Waloa Yungu groupment in Walikale territory, and the other into the surrounding bush, under extremely precarious conditions.

The latest military escalation risks jeopardizing the Doha agreement, signed two weeks earlier by the Congolese government and the rebels, intended to establish a lasting ceasefire.

Yet fighting continues between M23 forces and Wazalendo militias, who support the Congolese army, across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

The security situation remains critical. Troop movements have been observed near recently seized areas, raising fears of a broader resurgence in hostilities. Humanitarian organizations warn that access to displaced populations is nearly impossible in the active conflict zones, where water, food, and shelter have reached critical levels.

The M23 advance in Masisi is shifting the map of occupied territories in North Kivu and putting diplomatic mechanisms at serious risk.