DRC: deadly explosions hit M23 rebel rally in major eastern city

At least 11 people have been killed, and dozens more injured in a deadly bombing that targeted a mass rally held by the M23 rebel group in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The attack took place at Independence Square on Thursday (27 February) shortly after rebel leaders, including Corneille Nangaa, the head of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), had addressed thousands of attendees. The M23 group, which captured Bukavu earlier this month, blamed Congolese authorities for orchestrating the attack, while DRC president Félix Tshisekedi denounced it as a “heinous terrorist act” involving foreign forces. UN experts have accused neighboring Rwanda of having sent about 4,000 troops to support the rebels, who at times have vowed to march as far as DRC’s capital, Kinshasa, over 1,600 kilometers away.
The bombing is the latest escalation in the conflict between the M23 and Congolese forces, fueled by territorial and ethnic tensions. Rwanda-backed M23 has captured major cities in DRC’s east, most notably Goma and Bukavu, escalating a decade-long conflict over control of the region’s valuable mineral resources, including gold and coltan. While the M23 claims to fight for the protection of Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan descent, analysts suggest that Rwanda’s support for the group is driven by access to the region’s mineral wealth. The conflict has led to thousands of deaths and massive displacement, further destabilizing the already volatile region.