Rwanda-backed M23 rebels say they have captured the strategic town of Uvira in eastern Congo

Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 said it had taken control of the strategic town of Uvira in eastern Congo on Wednesday afternoon after a rapid offensive since the beginning of the month.

The announcement made on X by M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka encouraged citizens to return to their homes. Uwira is an important port city at the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika and is directly opposite the burundiBujumbura’s largest city.

Congolese officials did not immediately comment on whether M23 had taken control of the city.

The M23’s latest offensive comes despite a US-brokered peace deal signed last week by the Congolese rwanda in presidents WashingtonThe agreement does not cover the rebels, who are in separate negotiations with Congo and agreed to a ceasefire earlier this year, which both sides accuse each other of violating, but it obliges Rwanda to stop support for armed groups and work to end hostilities,

Residents of Uvira reported a chaotic night where Congolese army soldiers fled, and gunfire was reported throughout the town.

More than 100 armed groups are vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, the most prominent of which is the M23 group. Authorities say the conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced.

Last week, residents said that fighting has intensified in South Kivu, despite the signing of the agreement with the US President in Washington. donald trump in attendance.

Local UN partners report that more than 200,000 people have been displaced across the province since December 2, with more than 70 killed. Civilians have also crossed into Burundi, and there have been reports of shelling in the city of Rugombo on the Burundian side of the border, raising concerns about the conflict spreading into Burundian territory.

According to UN experts, rebels in Congo are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, and at times have vowed to march to the Congolese capital Kinshasa, about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the east.

Earlier this year, M23 captured Goma and Bukavu, two major cities in eastern Congo, marking a major escalation in the years-long conflict.