Rwanda-backed rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have promised to “restore security” in Bukavu, the second major city in the country’s east to fall under the control of the M23 since late last month.
Residents of the capital of South Kivu province were tentatively walking the streets again on Monday, a day after M23 rebels overran the city with next to no resistance from the fleeing Congolese army.
Thousands of people have fled to neighboring Burundi while some residents who stayed behind welcomed the M23 as columns of fighters entered Bukavu.
In a statement read on local radio on Monday, a rebel alliance that includes M23 said it would assist the population of Bukavu who were “abandoned” by the army and allied combatants.
“Our forces have been working to restore the security for the people and their property, much to the satisfaction of the entire population,” it said.
Bukavu is the latest city to fall into the hands of the M23, also known as the March 23 Movement, which in recent months has seized swathes of territory in the eastern DRC after again taking up arms in late 2021.
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