The genesis of the DRC conflict

The mineral-rich east, however, is not new to conflict, which has lasted more than 30 years.

It has been a war zone for more than three decades.

Tuesday’s heavy exchange of fire between the Congolese army—the Forces Armées de la République du Congo (FARDC)—and the M-23 militia reportedly left at least 17 dead, with several embassies, including Kenya’s, attacked, looted, and destroyed.

The Congolese troops and the peacekeeping missions led by the United Nations (UN) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Tuesday launched an offensive to repel the rebels out of the strategic eastern city of Goma.

M-23 had on Sunday declared they had taken control of the city after a rapid insurgency, forcing thousands to flee for safety.

President William Ruto, who has convened an emergency session of the East African Community on Wednesday, described the conflict as very complex.

“The situation in the DRC is a very complicated situation piling up for over 30 years, attracting forces from the United Nations, SADC, and EAC. Dialogue and consultation are the only way to address the situation,” said Ruto.

The conflict dates back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where about 1 million people, the vast majority from the Tutsi community, were killed by ethnic Hutu extremists.

The Tutsi-led rebels, commanded by the current Rwandan President Paul Kagame, regrouped and forced the Hutus to flee across the border to DRC.

The movement of Hutus to DRC, however, stoked ethnic tensions as a marginalized Tutsi group in eastern Congo, known as the Banyamulenge, felt threatened by the influx of Hutus and launched a pushback.

The war led to the formation of militia groups. The Hutu refugees in DRC formed the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), while the Tutsis in DRC formed several militia groups, which eventually mutated into the present-day M-23.

The Tutsi-led M-23, who coined their name from a peace agreement signed on 23 March 2009, were initially contained after several interventions, including by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). As part of the ceasefire deal, the rebels were allowed to join the Congolese military, FARDC.

The war then took a 10-year break. However, in 2022, M-23 resurfaced, complaining of being shortchanged in the army.

The Nairobi Peace Process, which saw the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), commanded by Kenyan troops, take over the peacekeeping mission, bore some fruits.

However, the operations of the force were wound up after complaints from DRC President Felix Tshisekedi. Among the grievances was an accusation that Rwanda, which had about 4,000 troops in EACRF, was fighting alongside M-23.

The force then handed over its mandate to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops, who have been in Goma alongside other forces until this latest outbreak of violence.

Apart from the historical ethnic conflict, it is also believed that, although it is not the primary cause of the conflict, the mineral deposits in Goma could have fueled the protracted war.

Located on the border with Rwanda and the shores of Lake Kivu, Goma is a strategic trading and transport hub that is closer to those dealing with metals and minerals, including gold, tin, and coltan.

It is not yet clear whether both President Felix Tshisekedi of DRC and Paul Kagame of Rwanda will attend the meeting, which has been called to try and silence the guns.

“Both President Tshisekedi and Kagame have confirmed attendance for Wednesday’s meeting,” noted President Ruto.

Although Wednesday’s meeting may not bring an instant end to the three decades of conflict, it may just prevent it from tipping over into a full-blown war between Rwanda and DRC.