Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: June 9, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: Technical delegations from the DRC and Rwanda are expected to discuss a US-mediated peace agreement in Washington DC this week. Rwanda plans to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). M23 clashed with pro-Congolese Wazalendo fighters on the RN2 in northern South Kivu. Congolese religious leaders reportedly plan to meet with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi to discuss their internal peace initiative next week.

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia

Nothing significant to report.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23 clashed with pro-Congolese Wazalendo fighters on the RN2 in northern South Kivu. Congolese media reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Katana village on the RN2 on June 7.[i] M23 has clashed with Wazalendos who have launched sporadic attacks on M23 positions near the RN2 between the Kalehe and Kabare district borders since early June.[ii]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

Pro-Congolese government fighters clashed with M23 in several villages in eastern Walikale district in North Kivu. The Congolese news outlet Actualite.cd reported that the Congolese army and Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 positions and dislodged the rebel group from several remote villages in the Kisimba group on June 6.[iii] Actualite.cd reported that M23 launched an attack on Wazalendos in a remote village in Kisimba on June 9.[iv]

Wazalendo fighters repelled an M23 attack near the Masisi district capital in North Kivu. Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendos repelled the attack near Bukombo, a village on the RP529 between Nyabiondo and Masisi town, on June 8.[v]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu

Nothing significant to report.

Major Political Developments

Technical delegations from the DRC and Rwanda are expected to discuss a US-mediated peace agreement in Washington DC this week. The French state media outlet Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported that the delegations will meet to “defend their respective positions” and “try to come up with a compromise text that could be signed.”[vi] RFI reported that the two sides are considering a second draft agreement that has circulated between the DRC, Rwanda, and the United States.[vii] The United States consolidated the initial version of the agreement in mid-May after brokering a declaration of principles agreement between the two sides.[viii] RFI reported that a potential meeting between foreign ministers from the three parties will take place at an undisclosed time after the technical-level talks in Washington DC.[ix] The United States reportedly expects to finalize the peace agreement by late June.[x]

Rwanda plans to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The Rwandan foreign ministry announced on June 7 that Rwanda would formally withdraw from ECCAS due to the DRC’s “instrumentalization” of the bloc.[xi] Rwanda expected to assume the rotating presidency of the 11-member ECCAS during a meeting of heads of state in Malabo, the Equatorial Guinean capital, on June 7, but the bloc demanded that Rwanda withdraw its troops from the eastern DRC and re-elected Equatorial Guinea for the role for an additional year.[xii] Rwanda claimed that the ECCAS “deliberately ignored” Rwanda’s right to the presidency and preferred to “impose the DRC’s diktat” to block Rwanda’s turn in the role.[xiii] An ECCAS official told French media that officials from the DRC and Burundi argued that they would not be able to travel to ECCAS events hosted by Rwanda if Rwanda assumed the presidency.[xiv] The DRC communications minister told French state media that Rwanda’s withdrawal from the ECCAS will “in no way compromise the efforts or the ongoing discussions” mediated by the United States and the African Union to reach a regional peace agreement.[xv]

Congolese religious leaders reportedly plan to meet with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi to discuss their internal peace initiative next week. French state media reported that the religious leaders could meet with Tshisekedi during the week of June 16 to discuss the leaders’ initiative.[xvi] The potential meeting comes after Tshisekedi received a delegation led by Martin Fayulu—a prominent Congolese opposition figure and critic of Tshisekedi—who pressed Tshisekedi to hold a meeting with the religious leaders.[xvii] The peace initiative has largely stalled since mid-May due to Tshisekedi’s unwillingness to move forward with the talks.[xviii]