The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched its most ambitious military campaign in over a decade, deploying 60,000 troops in a bold move to reclaim the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu from rebel control sparking regional alarm and accusations of human rights risks from the M23-led coalition.
In a sweeping military escalation, President Félix Tshisekedi has authorized the deployment of tens of thousands of Congolese troops backed by heavy artillery and foreign allied forces in what government officials are calling a “decisive offensive” to restore state control over Goma and Bukavu in the restive eastern region.
The operation, reportedly involving the largest troop mobilization since the 2013 UN-assisted defeat of M23 rebels, is unfolding alongside fragile peace negotiations in Washington and Doha. The timing has drawn sharp criticism from the Congo River Alliance (AFC), an armed coalition that includes the M23 rebel group.
“This deployment is a criminally irresponsible act that threatens civilians and sabotages diplomatic progress,” said Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for AFC/M23. “Their [government and allied] forces are targeting highly populated areas with artillery. This borders on a crime against humanity.”
The Congolese army has remained tight-lipped on operational details, but local military sources confirmed that the scale of the buildup suggests a long-term strategy aimed at retaking major cities and surrounding rebel-held territory. The offensive includes joint operations with the Burundi National Defense Force raising fears that the conflict could spill over borders or invite broader regional entanglement.
Goma, the bustling provincial capital of North Kivu, sits near the Rwandan border and has long been a political and economic prize in the eastern DRC. The city has been under threat or occupation by M23 fighters and allied groups intermittently since 2012. Bukavu, in neighboring South Kivu, is another focal point of the offensive and a stronghold of rebel logistical networks.
The Congolese government maintains that the operation is necessary to reclaim its territorial integrity and protect citizens living under rebel administration. However, the AFC insists it had already met several demands in peace negotiations and accuses Kinshasa of sabotaging dialogue.
“The regime refuses to implement confidence-building measures, while we have already released prisoners, allowed humanitarian access, and paused offensives,” Kanyuka said. “Still, we will defend our people and our positions if attacked.”
The renewed violence adds another layer of complexity to one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts. Peace envoys have warned that the presence of foreign fighters and the risk of mass displacement could undermine regional diplomacy.
Analysts are concerned that the militarization of Goma and Bukavu will not only trigger further humanitarian crises but also derail international pressure for a political solution.
As Congolese troops advance and artillery positions tighten around the contested cities, international observers are calling for immediate de-escalation, renewed diplomacy, and protection of civilian populations.
The unfolding events in eastern Congo signal not just a deepening military standoff, but also a high-stakes test for Africa’s Great Lakes peace architecture and the resolve of global mediators.
