Fighting has resumed in eastern DRC as M23 rebels attack army positions, despite calls for a ceasefire. Tensions are high in Bukavu, with residents fleeing and essential services shutting down. Burundian troops have intervened, while the humanitarian crisis worsens amid water shortages and rising cholera cases. Diplomatic efforts remain ineffective as the conflict escalates.

Fighting broke out on Tuesday in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, just three days after African leaders called for a ceasefire, briefly halting hostilities.

According to local and security sources who spoke with AFP, M23 fighters launched an attack on Congolese army positions in South Kivu province at dawn.

This resurgence follows a recent appeal by leaders from East and Southern Africa, urging their general staff to draft a plan for enforcing an "unconditional" ceasefire by Thursday. The ongoing conflict has already claimed thousands of lives and displaced vast numbers of people.

The M23, which resumed armed activities in late 2021, has rapidly captured large swaths of mineral-rich eastern DRC in recent months. The group escalated its offensive in South Kivu after seizing control of Goma, the capital of neighboring North Kivu province, which borders Rwanda, at the end of last month.

On Tuesday, clashes erupted near the village of Ihusi, roughly 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Bukavu, South Kivu’s provincial capital, and 40 kilometers from the province's airport, security sources reported. Several local witnesses confirmed hearing "detonations of heavy weapons."

Kavumu airport, which is crucial for the Congolese army's reinforcement efforts, is located nearby. The military uses it to transport soldiers and equipment to the conflict zone, and its main base is in close proximity.

For days, Bukavu has been bracing for an M23 attack. Last Friday, schools in the city closed their doors, residents began fleeing, and shops shut down in anticipation of an imminent assault.

Banks in Bukavu remained closed on Tuesday as tensions heightened. If M23 captures the city, it would gain full control over Lake Kivu.

The group, which opposes the Congolese government and seeks to remove President Felix Tshisekedi, has been making strategic moves in recent days. Fighters have attempted to advance into the highlands overlooking the main road to Bukavu, aiming to sever the DRC army’s supply routes.

However, Burundian soldiers, who are stationed in eastern DRC to support the Congolese army, reportedly halted M23's advances, according to security sources.

A security source stated that around 10,000 Burundian soldiers are currently deployed in South Kivu. Additionally, Bujumbura sent at least one more army battalion to reinforce the region on Friday.

Meanwhile, M23 has started setting up its own administration in Goma, a city of one million people. The group has launched recruitment drives, including efforts to establish its own police force.

The humanitarian situation in Goma is deteriorating. Many areas of the city are without running water, forcing residents to collect water from Lake Kivu—where bodies have been found in the aftermath of the fighting.

The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, has reported a surge in cholera cases, particularly among displaced populations affected by the ongoing conflict.

The worsening crisis in eastern DRC is set to be a key topic at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on Friday.

Despite intensified diplomatic efforts, the conflict, which has lasted for over three years, remains unresolved. The DRC has called for "targeted sanctions" against Rwanda, but these have had little impact.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of seeking to exploit the DRC’s vast natural resources, including tantalum and tin used in batteries and electronic devices, as well as gold. Rwanda, however, denies these allegations, arguing that it is focused on eliminating armed groups that pose a security threat, particularly the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group formed by former Hutu leaders responsible for the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.

Eastern DRC has endured multiple conflicts and rebellions for over three decades, with no lasting solution in sight.