M23 campaign (2022–present)

The M23 campaign is a series of military attacks by the March 23 Movement (M23), a rebel group supported by Rwanda, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It started in March 2022. In November 2021, M23 began attacking the Congolese army (FARDC) and UN peacekeepers (MONUSCO), taking over military bases in Ndiza, Cyanzu, and Runyoni in North Kivu Province. At the same time, Uganda sent its army (UPDF) to the area to fight the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan rebel group active in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

The fighting got worse between March and June 2022, when M23 took control of important places in Rutshuru Territory, including the key border town of Bunagana. This made Congolese soldiers run into Uganda. Uganda said that Rwanda planned the attacks to weaken Uganda’s fight against the ADF. Rwanda, however, said Uganda was using M23 fighters to threaten Rwanda’s safety. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) said Rwanda was giving weapons to M23 and helping restart the rebellion. A United Nations report supported the DRC’s claim. Rwanda and M23 said the DRC was working with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and said their attacks were meant to protect the Banyamulenge people from FDLR attacks. A UN report also said Rwanda had already sent troops into Congo before the DRC and FDLR started working together. Experts said M23's comeback was more about money and business than about ethnic or security reasons.

The fighting brought in more countries, and the East African Community (EAC) sent the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) to help calm the situation. On 26 January 2023, M23 captured the town of Kitchanga. Frustrated that EACRF wasn't doing enough, the Congolese government asked the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for help and also created a reserve army. This led to the rise of local militias called the Wazalendo movement near areas controlled by M23. In June 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that M23 committed serious crimes like illegal killings, sexual violence, and other war crimes, with Rwanda also being blamed. The UN Security Council (UNSC) called for punishments against M23 leaders and accused high-ranking Rwandan officials of being involved. By March 2024, M23 started more attacks, taking places like Rwindi and a fishing area called Vitshumbi near Lake Edward. A UN report in April said that 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers were in eastern Congo, more than the 3,000 M23 fighters. In June 2024, M23 and Rwandan forces captured Kanyabayonga and Kirumba and moved into Lubero Territory for the first time. Peace talks failed after Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame did not show up at a planned meeting with Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi and Angola’s President João Lourenço. Because of Rwanda’s actions, many believed that Rwanda’s main goal in eastern Congo was to get access to Kivu's valuable minerals, not just to protect its security.

Beginning in January 2025, M23 began making major advances towards Goma and Bukavu, the provincial capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu, with alleged Rwandan backing, intensifying growing tensions between the two nations. By 30 January, M23 had captured all of Goma and began an advance towards Bukavu, capturing the town by 16 February. Following the capture of Goma, M23 announced their intentions to march on Kinshasa.

## Related pages

- List of ongoing armed conflicts
- 2025 Goma offensive

## Infobox (military conflict)

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Anti-government [[Nyatura]]-factions
- **conflict**: M23 campaign
- **partof**: the Kivu conflict and the Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda conflict
- **image**: M23 Offensive Map.svg
- **image size**: 300px
- **caption**: Military situation as of 19 March 2025
- **date**: 27 March 2022 – present
 ()
- **place**: North Kivu and South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- **status**: List of ongoing armed conflicts, Ongoing
* Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda conflict, Conflict breaks out between Rwanda and the Congo
- **combatant1**: *  Congo River Alliance (from Dec 2023)
**  March 23 Movement
** Twirwaneho (from Feb 2025)
RED-Tabara (from Feb 2025)
Mai-Mai Rushaba (from March 2025)

- **combatant2**: SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, SADC Mission in DRC (until 2025)
 Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, FDLR
- **commander1**:  Bertrand Bisimwa
 Sultani Makenga
 Yusuf Mboneza (disputed)
Léon Kanyamibwa
- **commander2**: Félix Tshisekedi
 Pacifique Masunzu
 Peter Cirimwami Nkuba
 Clément Bitangalo Bulime
 Philémon Yav Irung
 Constant Ndima Kongba
 Muhindo Lwanzo
 Francois-Xavier Aba van Ang
 Jeff Mungai Nyagah
 Alphaxard Kiugu
- **units1**: * M23 forces
** Bisimwa faction (Revolutionary Army of Congo)
** Makenga faction
* Rwandan Defence Force (denied by Rwanda)
** 401st Battalion
- **units2**: * DR Congo forces
** Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Armed Forces (FARDC)
*** Operations sector "Sokola 2/Nord-Kivu"
**** 32nd Military Region
*** Air Force of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Air Force
** Republican Guard (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Republican Guard
** Congolese National Police
** Pro-government militias
* Romanian Mercenary, mercenaries
* United Nations Force Intervention Brigade, UN FIB
* East African Community, EAC Regional Force
** Uganda People's Defence Force
*** 25th Battalion
*** 35th Battalion
- **strength1**: Rebels:
100–200+ (Mar 2022)
400+ (May 2022)
 6,000+ (Jan 2025)
Rwanda:
  3,000–4,000
- **strength2**: Unknown
 2900
 900+
  750
- **casualties1**: Unknown
- **casualties2**: 1 helicopter shot down
 2022 MONUSCO helicopter crash, 1 helicopter shot down, 29 killed
- **casualties3**: * 30,000 civilians displaced to Uganda
* 2.5 million displaced in total (as of 8 July 2024)
* 7,000 killed (25 Jan – 25 Feb)