On Sunday the Rwandan backed rebel group M23 captured their second city, Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). This comes after the group captured Goma in late January. Congolese officials also claim Rwandan soldiers were with M23 during the capture of Bukavu, though Rwanda has so far denied all claims made by the DR Congo, as well as the UN, that its troops are involved in the fighting.
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M23, which is a group primarily made up of the Tutsi ethnic group, enjoys support in parts of eastern DR Congo, which has many Tutsis inhabiting the region. There are reports of locals cheering on M23 in Bukavu and Goma.
These advances are being made in the mineral rich North and South Kivu provinces. DR Congo is the world's larges producer of cobalt, a mineral necessary for the batteries that power electric vehicles. In addition, significant quantities of copper, coltan, lithium, tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold can be found in the region.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/m23-rebels-enter-centre-strategic-city-bukavu-2025-02-16/