Heavy gunfire erupted in the eastern Congolese town of Uvira on Wednesday as clashes broke out among government forces and allied militias, deepening the chaos sparked by the advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, local sources said.
Panic spread as residents described scenes of bodies lying in the streets, widespread looting, and soldiers commandeering boats to flee across Lake Tanganyika. The town’s prison was also emptied, with reports suggesting that both inmates and detained deserters were released.
The rebel push southward follows the fall of Bukavu over the weekend, the most significant loss for the Congolese army since M23 seized Goma in late January. The rebels’ reported capture of Kamanyola on Tuesday sent shockwaves through Uvira, just 80 km (50 miles) away.
Infighting Among Allied Forces
The retreating Congolese army (FARDC) has clashed with its own allies, the Wazalendo militia, who refuse to withdraw.
“We woke up to bullets flying, even though the rebels are still some distance away,” a local official said anonymously. “The forces we relied on—the army and the Wazalendo—are fighting each other. There are deaths and looting.”
Residents reported hearing gunfire across the city, while a humanitarian source described “bodies lying in the streets, around 30 corpses in the morgue, and more than 100 people hospitalized with serious injuries.” Reuters could not independently verify these figures.
A security source said many soldiers were seen scrambling onto boats to escape, fueling chaos among civilians unable to flee. “People are panicking. There’s shooting in all directions,” the source said.
Prison Break and Desertions
The local prison was emptied, including 228 soldiers who had been jailed for desertion, the security source added. It remains unclear whether they escaped or were deliberately released.
Confidence in the Congolese government’s ability to repel M23 has faded, especially after reports of a withdrawal by allied Burundian troops. Burundi has denied pulling back.
Meanwhile, in North Kivu province, army spokesperson Mak Hazukay confirmed fresh clashes between the military and M23 rebels. He admitted that some soldiers had abandoned their posts, further destabilizing the front line.
Wider Conflict Fears
The well-armed M23 is the latest in a series of ethnic Tutsi-led rebel groups to emerge in eastern Congo, where conflicts over power, ethnicity, and mineral wealth have raged since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Congo and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of backing the rebels with weapons and troops, a claim Kigali denies. Rwanda insists it is defending itself from a Hutu militia allied with the Congolese army.
Tensions over Rwanda’s alleged role have exacerbated fears of a broader regional conflict. In Kinshasa, 1,600 km (1,000 miles) away, concerns about instability have led some residents to consider fleeing the country, amid growing speculation of a coup.