M23 rebels have taken control of the town of Minova in eastern Congo, a crucial supply route for the provincial capital Goma, authorities reported on Tuesday. This marks the latest development in the group’s ongoing offensive, which has seen it seize several key towns in recent weeks, prompting a large-scale exodus of residents.
Jean-Jacques Purusi, the governor of South Kivu province, confirmed the fall of Minova, adding that the rebels had also taken over the mining towns of Lumbishi, Numbi, and Shanje within South Kivu, as well as Bweremana in the neighbouring North Kivu province.
Congo’s military issued a statement on Tuesday acknowledging that the rebels had made “breakthroughs” in Minova and Bweremana but stopped short of confirming that M23 had fully captured these towns.
The March 23 Movement (M23), a militant group primarily made up of ethnic Tutsis, broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago. It first gained international attention in 2012 when it seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu and the largest city in eastern Congo, which borders Rwanda.
M23 is just one of around 100 armed groups competing for control over the resource-rich eastern Congo, a region that has been embroiled in conflict for decades, creating one of the world’s largest and most severe humanitarian crises. Over 7 million people have been displaced by the violence.
Both the Congolese government and international bodies, such as the United States and the United Nations, have accused Rwanda of supporting M23, though Rwanda denies these allegations.
In recent weeks, M23 has made significant territorial gains in eastern Congo. Earlier this month, the rebels captured the strategic mining town of Masisi in North Kivu, another vital supply route for Goma.
Minova, located on the shores of Lake Kivu, is a key port town and an important transit hub for agricultural goods moving to Goma, situated about 28 miles (45 kilometres) away.
The United Nations refugee agency reported on Monday that over 237,000 people have been displaced in eastern Congo since the beginning of the year due to the ongoing fighting.
