Women and children make up the majority of the new arrivals, according to Phanuel Sindayiheba, a local government official in Rwanda’s Rusizi district, which borders the DRC. He said the refugees are being accommodated at a transit centre and have received essential items, including food and bedding. Videos shared on social media showed long lines of displaced families heading toward Rwanda through the Bugarama–Kamanyola border crossing, many carrying their belongings and livestock.
Local media reported intense fighting on Friday morning near the town of Luvungi in South Kivu province, where M23 rebels clashed with government troops, forcing residents to flee. The outlet Une reported that the rebel group launched coordinated attacks on government positions at dawn, heightening tensions barely 24 hours after the Washington peace agreement was signed by Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame.
Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for M23, claimed on X that government forces and their allies struck “densely populated areas in North Kivu and South Kivu using fighter jets, drones and heavy artillery.” He also alleged that two bombs fired from Burundi on Thursday evening landed near Kamanyola, killing four people and seriously injuring two.
Rwanda continues to face accusations of backing M23, allegations that Kigali repeatedly denies. During Thursday’s signing ceremony, US President Donald Trump said, “Today, we commit to stopping decades of violence and bloodshed and to begin a new era of harmony and cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.”
Kagame said the US-led agreement provides “everything needed to end this conflict once and for all.” Tshisekedi described the deal as an “irreversible commitment” to move beyond confrontation and towards lasting peace and regional cooperation. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 123,600 people were displaced in the DRC between July and October due to armed attacks, clashes, land disputes and natural disasters.