In Congo, a reporter returns to a city transformed by war

In Congo, a reporter returns to a city transformed by war

On the front lines of war in eastern Congo, a Monitor reporter struggled to make sense of the suffering she witnessed.

Fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is worsening gender-based violence against women

In early 2025, the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group seized control of Goma and then Bukavu, two major cities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). M23’s advance and control in eastern DRC, in defiance of ceasefire agreements, has terrorized communities and led to mass displacement. More than two million people have since been internally displaced in eastern DRC; close to one million people were displaced in 2024 alone. Read …

As diplomats work to advance draft peace agreements in Washington and Doha, the security situation on the ground is deteriorating and confrontations are increasing on several fronts.

DRC and M23 rebels resume peace talks in Doha, sources say

However, two rebel sources say M23 has sent a lower-level delegation than in the earlier round last month

On the Front Lines of the M23 Rebellion

“Refugee. I hate that word.” Jules was 19 and already part of the elite special forces of the March 23 Movement, also known as M23. He looked me straight in the eye and inhaled deeply on a cigarette. His face still held the soft lines of a teenager, but his story carried the weight of someone who had lived far too much, far too young. Our conversation took place in early February, on the banks of Lake Kivu in Goma, the capital of North Kivu prov…

Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo and M23 Rebels Agree to Ceasefire Following Qatar-Mediated Talks

[People's Dispatch] After months of intense fighting, the Congolese government and M23 rebels have agreed to a ceasefire, brokered through Qatar-mediated talks. While hopeful, the real challenge lies in ensuring this ceasefire leads to lasting stability in eastern Congo.