Second Airport in Eastern DR Congo Falls to Rebel Forces

February 15, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

Rebels are advancing towards Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu. The Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have taken control of the strategic Kavumu airport, which serves as a key access point for Bukavu, the region’s second-largest city, according to the rebel alliance and a civil security source. Since capturing Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, at the end of last month, the rebels have been pushing southward. If they seize Bukavu, it would mark a significant expansion of M23’s territory and further undermine the authority of Kinshasa in the eastern region.

A spokesperson for the M23 alliance confirmed on social media that they now control the airport and its surrounding areas, a claim supported by a civil security member and earlier reports from UN and diplomatic sources. Meanwhile, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi is seeking international assistance to address the crisis. He has travelled to Germany for the Munich Security Conference and plans to attend the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, where the ongoing conflict will be a key topic.

The UN refugee agency has expressed concern over the “rapidly deteriorating” situation, noting that approximately 350,000 people have been displaced and are homeless due to the conflict. Earlier on Friday, rebels captured the town of Katana, located 11 kilometres from Kavumu, with residents reporting armed men in the area. The M23 fighters are blocking roads and moving towards Kavumu, having already taken control of Katana and the nearby town of Kabamba.

Amid the escalating violence in the east, a heavier military presence has been noted in Kinshasa, the capital, located about 1,600 kilometres west of Goma. Following Goma’s fall, protests erupted in Kinshasa, targeting UN facilities and embassies, including those of Rwanda, France, and the United States, fueled by public anger over perceived foreign interference. The Kenyan embassy was also ransacked by looters.