Soldiers From the Congo Army Desert their Posts, Looting and Causing Chaos in a Town in North Kivu

On Thursday, the Congolese military urged deserters to return to their units after rogue soldiers fired weapons and looted parts of the eastern town of Lubero, following their escape from nearby clashes with advancing rebels supported by Rwanda. The violence highlights growing instability within the Congolese armed forces as they struggle against the M23 rebel group’s ongoing offensive, which has already taken control of the two largest cities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising concerns about the potential for a larger conflict.
A military spokesperson for North Kivu province issued a statement ordering deserters around Lubero to report back to their positions within 12 hours and instructed all soldiers to avoid theft and other unlawful actions. According to Sylvain Ekenge, a spokesperson for the Congolese army, fighting with the M23 rebels has been ongoing just south of the town of Lubero for the past 72 hours.
Local residents reported scenes of chaos in the town on Thursday morning, describing gunfire and looting at the central market and in stores selling mobile phones and clothing. “It’s total chaos in Lubero. You can hear the gunshots… The soldiers are scattering everywhere,” said one resident, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.
Later, Alain Kiwewa, Lubero’s military administrator, confirmed that calm had been restored in the town, blaming a group of undisciplined soldiers for causing the panic.
Incidents like these, coupled with intensified fighting between Congolese forces and the M23 group around Lubero, have increased pressure on the military. The army conducted a chaotic retreat in neighbouring South Kivu province after M23 fighters advanced into the provincial capital, Bukavu, over the weekend, sparking clashes between Congolese troops and local militias who were determined to continue fighting.
This escalation has raised concerns across the broader region and drawn attention from the international community. On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on a Rwandan government official and a high-ranking rebel figure, accusing them of involvement in the conflict.
Rwanda, which shares a border with Congo, denies accusations from both Congo and the United Nations that it is providing military support to the M23 rebels. The Rwandan government claims it is protecting itself from Hutu militias, which it alleges are fighting alongside Congolese forces. Congo, however, rejects this narrative and accuses Rwanda of using the M23 as a proxy to exploit the country’s mineral resources, such as gold and coltan, which are vital for smartphones and computers.
In response to the ongoing conflict, Congo’s Ministry of Finance announced the creation of a solidarity fund on Thursday, allowing citizens, businesses, and organizations to contribute directly to the war effort in the east. This initiative underscores the economic strain of the three-year-long insurgency, during which the M23 has seized large areas of Congolese territory, including key mining regions. This resurgence of violence has reignited a long-standing conflict fuelled by struggles over power, ethnic tensions, and control of valuable resources, with roots that trace back to the 1990s Rwandan genocide.