The M23 rebellion

Since late 2021, violence has surged in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as the March 23 Movement (M23) has mounted one of the country’s most destabilising insurgencies in years.

Descended from a long line of Rwandan-backed armed groups, the M23 has seized some of the region’s largest cities, forcing millions from their homes and rekindling fears of a return to the devastating conflicts of the 1990s and early 2000s.

This page gathers our coverage of the rebellion – from its roots and political drivers to its humanitarian and human rights toll – and highlights how Congolese civil society, mutual aid initiatives, and ordinary citizens are responding.