Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have pushed into Walikale, a key mineral-rich town in eastern Congo, despite ceasefire calls from Congolese and Rwandan leaders.
The move threatens to escalate a long-running conflict that has displaced millions.
The latest advance follows failed peace talks earlier this week.
On Tuesday, M23 rebels withdrew from negotiations after the European Union imposed sanctions on their leaders.
A day later, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met in Qatar, urging an immediate ceasefire—an appeal swiftly ignored by the rebels.
Residents and civil society leaders reported that the rebels entered Walikale late Wednesday, securing a position that grants them control over a critical road connecting four eastern provinces: North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, and Maniema.
Gunfire and artillery shook the town throughout the day before easing in the evening, witnesses said.
“Our Congolese army is no longer fighting,” lamented Fiston Misona, a civil society activist in Walikale. “It’s as if we were being sacrificed.”
The occupation of Walikale could have serious economic consequences.
The region is home to major tin and gold deposits, including the Bisie tin mine, which accounts for most of North Kivu’s tin exports.
Mining company Alphamin Resources announced a temporary suspension of operations due to the rebel advance.
Tshisekedi recently signaled openness to a minerals-for-security deal with the United States, suggesting American pressure could curb rebel influence.
The M23 group, supported by roughly 4,000 Rwandan troops according to U.N. experts, has long sought to expand its reach, at times threatening to advance as far as Kinshasa, Congo’s distant capital.
The conflict, involving over 100 armed groups, has left more than 7 million people displaced, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
