M23 Rebels Expand Control in Eastern Congo; Targeting Mineral-Rich Areas
The United Nations has reported that the influence of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has surged by 70% in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo over the past year. Since their resurgence in late 2021, the March 23 Movement (M23) has expanded control across five out of six regions in North Kivu province, including Rutshuru, Nyiragongo, Beni, Masisi, and Walikale — areas renowned for their rich deposits of gold, coltan, and other valuable minerals.
The M23’s area of control, now the largest recorded, aligns with their strategic objective to dominate the region’s mineral resources, including gold, cassiterite, coltan, cobalt, and diamonds. Despite a ceasefire agreement mediated by Angola in August, M23 forces resumed offensives on October 20, briefly capturing Kalembe in Walikale territory before local militias, the Wazalendo and Nduma Defense of Congo - Renovated (NDC-R), regained control. Kalembe, situated on a key transport route, offers access to lucrative mining deposits.
Augustin Muhesi, a political science professor in North Kivu, asserts that M23’s ambitions in Walikale underscore a drive to exploit mineral resources, essential to fund their military operations. UN estimates reveal that the group generates about $300,000 monthly by taxing coltan production in Masisi and Rutshuru. In April, M23 fighters captured the transport hub of Sake and the coltan-rich town of Rubaya, a mineral vital to energy transition technologies.
The Congolese government accuses M23 of exporting coltan to Rwanda, with reports of rebels distributing materials to restart mining operations. A recent UN expert report estimates that 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are stationed in Congo to bolster the M23’s roughly 3,000-strong forces, with direct intervention enabling their rapid expansion toward Lake Edward.
Since November 2021, M23 rebels have reportedly been involved in nearly 1,700 violent incidents, resulting in over 1,700 casualties, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). As M23 advances, concerns grow over regional stability and the humanitarian impact of their mineral-driven campaign in Congo.
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