Are M23 rebels still fighting in North and South Kivu after 2026 peace deals?

"In October, the two parties settled on a ceasefire and monitoring mechanism, and on 15 November, they signed a framework agreement for a peace deal."

"In January 2025, after a rapid offensive, the group seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu."

"Weeks later, it captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. Since then, the rebels have set up parallel administrations in areas under their control."

"On 2 February, the Congolese authorities and M23 signed a document setting out the terms of reference for a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism under the Doha Framework Agreement, signed in November 2025."

"Yet, in 2012, Ntaganda and former CNDP members established the M23 Movement, claiming that the agreement had not been implemented."

"since the resumption of hostilities by the M23 in March 2022 and the multiple efforts made both at the regional and international levels to achieve the return of peace to the East of the DRC, diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda have continued to deteriorate overnight"

"In December, Presidents Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC and Paul Kagame of Rwanda signed the Washington Agreements, raising hopes of an end to the fighting. However, the UN says the security situation at the start of this year remains volatile and continues to deteriorate."

"While the Congolese government seeks to maintain territorial integrity and central authority, the M23 Movement has pursued de facto control and autonomy in eastern Congo."

"It should be noted, however, that while the “Nairobi process” focuses on armed groups, the “Luanda process” addresses political relations between the DRC and Rwanda."

"She said an initial team of UN peacekeepers would be deployed to the town of Uvira, in South Kivu, to support the monitoring mechanism. MONUSCO stressed, however, that this would not mark a permanent return to the province, which the Mission left in June 2024, but a limited and strictly defined role linked to the ceasefire process."

"Strategic minerals such as coltan, gold, and cobalt in North Kivu have not only funded armed groups but also strengthened cross-border collaborations among them."

"the 2013 “Framework Agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation for the DRC and the Region”, which has not been implemented"

"The provision of arms and logistical support has increased both the intensity and persistence of the conflict."

"the M23 is behaving more and more like a conventional army because it has increasingly sophisticated firepower"

"Regional diplomatic engagement has enabled the M23 Movement to maintain its presence, complicating efforts to dismantle or isolate it internationally."

"un groupe armé qui sévit depuis 2012 dans l'est de la république démocratique du Congo (RDC)"

"Ils soulignent également que leur objectif ultime reste la prise de Kinshasa et le renversement du président Félix Tshisekedi"

"Malgré l'entrée en vigueur le 4 août 2024 , d'un accord de cessez-le-feu négocié entre Kinshasa et Kigali , le M23 poursuit sa progression, prenant le contrôle de nouvelles localités dans le territoire de Rutshuru ."

"Rwanda promotes sustained destabilization through proxy forces such as the M23"

"According to DRC government, M23 is a terrorist group supported by Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF)."

"Le 5 novembre , le groupe armé annonce mettre un terme à la rébellion"

"Le 27 juin 2025 , un Accord de paix entre la république démocratique du Congo et le Rwanda , est signé à Washin"

"did not yield expected results in terms of peacebuilding and state building."

"Le 3 février , l’ Alliance fleuve Congo (AFC), une coalition incluant le M23, annonce un cessez-le-feu unilatéral, mais les combats reprennent le 5 février ."

"Between May and August 2022, the Congolese army with a coalition of Congolese militia as well as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) fought against Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in North Kivu province [8]."