According to AFP, M23 rebels have asserted their control over a crucial town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an action that appears to constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

On Wednesday, M23 rebels captured a contested town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a new breach of a ceasefire established in August, according to local sources who spoke to AFP. Since commencing their offensive in late 2021, the largely Tutsi M23 militia has taken control of vast territories in eastern DRC, resulting in the displacement of thousands of individuals and creating a humanitarian crisis.

A ceasefire agreement between the DRC army and M23 had been in effect since early August, facilitated by mediation from Angola. While this truce had been generally observed by the Congolese and Rwandan armed forces, it has frequently been violated by various armed groups linked to both countries' militaries.

On Wednesday, the M23 reasserted control over the town of Kalembe after engaging in combat with the Wazalendo, a coalition of militias supporting the Congolese army. According to multiple sources, Kabaki Mwanankoyo, a local leader from a group in Kalembe, confirmed to AFP, "We can confirm that the M23 controls Kalembe." A security source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, noted, "The M23 has been pushing out the Wazalendo" since 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT). Marcellin Shenkuku, a spokesperson for Wazalendo, reported that "the enemy is using all its artillery to massacre us" and acknowledged that they had "managed to take one of our positions."

Shenkuku further mentioned, "for the moment, it's difficult to say who is in control of Kalembe." The M23 first entered Kalembe on Sunday, located in North Kivu province, but were initially repelled by a militia supporting the Kinshasa government. The Angolan government later stated that the occupation of Kalembe by the Forces of the March 23 Movement on Sunday constituted "a flagrant violation" of the ceasefire agreement. They expressed their rejection and strong condemnation of this "hostile act," which they claimed undermines ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to the conflict.

Kalembe, which has a population of approximately 40,000, is situated along one of the two main roads in the region, providing access to valuable mineral deposits of gold, coltan, and diamonds in the Walikale territory of western North Kivu province. This mineral-rich area has been the battleground for numerous rival rebel groups and has experienced persistent internal and cross-border violence for the past three decades.