A bomb blast has killed more than 30 people and wounded 20 others in eastern Congo after clashes between the national army and a pro-government militia. The explosion struck the town of Sange in South Kivu on Sunday evening, shaking a region already worn down by years of conflict.
Residents said FARDC soldiers and Wazalendo fighters exchanged fire after a dispute over troop movements, moments before the deadly blast tore through the area. Local leaders described soldiers returning from the front lines who were ordered to halt in Sange, sparking an argument that escalated into gunfire.
The blast sent families fleeing towards the Burundian border, with residents reporting further clashes nearby on Monday morning. Eastern Congo remains contested by more than 100 armed groups fighting for territory, minerals and local influence across a region bordering Rwanda.
The violence erupted less than a week after Congo and Rwanda signed a US-brokered peace agreement in Washington that was hailed as a breakthrough. Despite the deal, residents, analysts and civil society groups say battles between the Congolese army and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have intensified.
A civil society leader in Sange said civilians were trapped in crossfire, with some accusing both fighters and government troops of indiscriminate killings. President Felix Tshisekedi told parliament on Monday that Rwanda had violated the peace accord and continued to destabilise eastern Congo.
He accused Kigali of backing attacks from across the border and enriching itself through Congo’s natural resources. Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame had met US President Donald Trump last week to finalise the agreement, which followed months of negotiations.
M23 rebels, supported by Rwandan forces according to UN experts, previously seized Goma and Bukavu in a dramatic escalation earlier this year. The Congolese army has not yet commented on Sunday’s explosion as the region braces for further unrest.