Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Congo entered Bukavu, the region's second-largest city, on Friday, according to local and civil society leaders. This marks another advance in their long-running conflict with government forces, which has recently escalated.

Jean Samy, vice president of South Kivu’s civil society, said the M23 rebels had entered the Kazingu and Bagira zones and were moving toward the city centre, which has a population of about 1.3 million. He also reported gunfire in parts of the city. Online videos appeared to show rebels advancing in the Bagira region. A speaker in the background of one of the videos yelled: "They are there... there are many of them." On Friday, Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Congo claimed to have taken control of a second airport in the region after days of advancing. Meanwhile, the UN warned that the recent surge in fighting with government forces has left 350,000 internally displaced people without shelter.

Local sources reported that M23 rebels had surrounded the area around Kavumu National Airport. They also described seeing many soldiers fleeing the town as the fighting continued. The Associated Press could not verify who currently controls the airport, which is about 30 kilometres (18.5 miles) from Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. Government officials and civil society leaders have not yet commented. Kavumu Airport became a target after M23 rebels captured Goma, the region's largest city, along with its international airport in late January. Goma is an important trade and humanitarian centre, providing shelter to many of the nearly 6.5 million people displaced by the conflict, making it the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka stated on X that the rebels took control of Kavumu Airport and its surrounding areas to neutralise the threat at its source. He claimed the airport posed a danger to civilians. Meanwhile, Congo's Communication Ministry issued a statement condemning the rebels for violating a ceasefire called by regional leaders. The ministry accused the rebels of engaging in urban warfare by attacking positions of the FARDC (Congolese military), who were trying to prevent bloodshed in Bukavu. A local civil society leader in Kavumu reported seeing soldiers ‘abandon their positions and head toward Bukavu.’ “This caused fear within the community (and) I took the necessary measures to bring my family to safety, the leader said,” speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi condemned what he called the international community's failure to prevent aggression by the rebels and Rwandan troops.

"This raises the question of the United Nations, which for me has become a two-tier organisation depending on whether you are among the powerful or privileged (countries) or whether you are among the weak and disadvantaged,” said Tshisekedi, who is attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany. The M23, backed by around 4,000 troops from neighbouring Rwanda, is the most prominent of over 100 armed groups fighting for control of Congo's mineral-rich eastern region. The rebellion has resulted in at least 2,000 deaths in and around Goma and has left hundreds of thousands of displaced people stranded, according to the UN and Congolese authorities. The rebels' recent advance created chaos and panic among residents across South Kivu. Some people fled from Kavumu to Bukavu, the provincial capital, while others left Bukavu for nearby towns. Meanwhile, many began stocking up on household essentials as economic activities seemed to be coming to a halt.

Last week, the rebels announced a unilateral ceasefire, but the government rejected it as false. Despite this, they have continued advancing toward Bukavu, capturing several nearby towns. The most recent is Katana, which they seized on Friday. The town is located 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Kavumu Airport. On Friday, the UN refugee agency reported that hundreds of thousands of displaced people are now staying in overcrowded temporary shelters, churches, schools and hospitals. “Heavy artillery shelling and looting have destroyed 70,000 emergency shelters around Goma and Minova in North and South Kivu provinces, leaving some 350,000 internally displaced people once again without roofs over their heads,” the agency said.

African leaders will meet in Ethiopia this weekend for a summit of the African Union, a continent-wide organisation that has faced criticism in the past for not taking action during conflicts in various regions. At a recent gathering, leaders from eastern and southern Africa called for a ceasefire in eastern Congo but did not demand that the M23 rebels halt their advance.