He described the assault as a “barbaric” act marked by indiscriminate violence, loss of life and destruction of property, calling it a serious violation of human dignity and fundamental rights , Viory reports.

The Congolese army said security measures were being reinforced to protect civilians, restore order and neutralise ADF fighters and their allies. It added that military operations in the area had been stepped up to dismantle the armed group’s networks.

Authorities also urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements to the defence and security forces.

Rwanda rejected the “break-in” framing, with its embassy in the United States calling the claim a “gross misrepresentation.” Kigali said it was DRC security personnel who escalated the situation, alleging they blocked unarmed Rwandan agents from accessing a shared hallway and elevator area despite both delegations being booked at the same hotel.

Rwanda said the matter was resolved quickly and without further escalation.  

"The Rwandan detail member was briefly restrained from accessing the elevator by DRC security agents, which was inappropriate and wrong behaviour in a common area, but the matter was eventually resolved without further escalation," the Rwandan statement read in part.

Rwanda and the DRC have been in Washington for US-facilitated mediation efforts aimed at easing tensions in eastern Congo, where Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing the M23 rebel group, an allegation Rwanda denies.  

The matter also follows fresh US sanctions announced on March 2, 2026, targeting the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and senior officers over alleged support to M23, sanctions that Rwanda has condemned.  

The border reopening followed the withdrawal of M23 from Uvira in January, at the request of the United States, which sought to consolidate the truce achieved through a Trump-brokered agreement between Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi in Washington in December 2025.

The border closure restricted the movement of people and goods between the two countries, impeding trade and undermining the East African Community’s common market and custom union arrangements that are intended to eliminate trade barriers between the members of the regional bloc.

“When the border was closed, business declined. Without Congolese customers, movement decreased and so did our income,” remarks a Burundian market vendor, who emphasises that the substantial reduction in the number of Congolese customers who would purchase their products in large amounts to resell in their country, strained their small businesses.

The reopening is expected to boost cross-border trade, increasing Burundi’s and the DRC’s exports. During the two-month closure, there were shortages of consumer goods and a rise in prices, which constrained the livelihood of people, especially those living around the border towns of Uvira and Gutamba.

“The reopening of the border is a great joy for us and for all the residents of Uvira. Even in Gatumba, there is celebration. Motorcycles and bicycles are moving. I even saw students leaving their schools to come celebrate at the border,” notes another trader.

As of 2023, over 80% of Burundi’s exports were destined for DRC, a significant portion of which went through the Kavimvira border post. However, the rising insecurity worsened the humanitarian situation, significantly reducing trade flow and dampening the economic prospects of both nations.

This was not the first time Burundi had closed a border due to insecurity. In 2024, the East African nation claimed that its neighbour, Rwanda, was hosting and training the Red Tabara, an anti-regime rebel outfit that Bujumbura attributed to an attack that claimed 20 lives in December 2023. This culminated in the closure of the border between the two countries. The action significantly jeopardised the flow of goods and people, hindering economic activities, mostly along the borderlands.

There are some doubts as to whether the M23 withdrawal from Uvira will be sustained, considering the recent escalation. On Tuesday, the military spokesperson of the rebel group, Willy Ngoma, was killed in a drone strike near Rubaya, North Kivu province. This has heightened tensions with a possibility of fresh confrontation between the Rwanda-backed rebels and the Congolese army.

The frequent conflicts in the Great Lakes region highlight the need for regional blocs, particularly the EAC and the Southern African Development Community, to strengthen their conflict management mechanisms to prevent or mitigate cross-border disputes before they spiral.

The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.

Here is a recap of a few:

Sudan

From April 2023, Sudan has been stuck in turmoil, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of people and left women and children vulnerable. The conflict erupted over power struggles between rival military factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The conflict led to parts of the country facing famine. Millions were displaced, health systems collapsed, and reports of mass sexual violence mounted, yet funding and diplomatic engagement remained limited as donor fatigue developed. “Each passing day brings staggering levels of violence and destruction. Civilians are enduring immense, unimaginable suffering, with no end in sight,” Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the UN Khaled Khiari told ambassadors.

DR Congo

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fighting between armed groups intensified, particularly in North Kivu. Civilians faced killings, forced recruitment, and displacement, but the conflict received scant coverage outside Africa despite being a deadly one. The fighting resumed at the beginning of 2025 when the M23 rebel group made significant advances across the East. 

Haiti

Haiti continued to slide deeper into crisis as armed gangs expanded control over large parts of Port-au-Prince. Kidnappings surged, state authority eroded further, and humanitarian access shrank, yet international response stalled amid political paralysis. “Caught in the middle of this unending horror story are the Haitian people, who are at the mercy of horrific violence by gangs and exposed to human rights violations from the security forces and abuses by the so-called ‘self-defence’ groups,” Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights, is quoted .

Myanmar

In Myanmar, clashes between the military junta and ethnic armed groups were reported, with airstrikes hitting civilian areas. The conflict’s impact on women, children and minorities remained severe, even as global focus drifted elsewhere. Four years after the military seized power in 2021, Myanmar’s junta controls just 21% of the country, while rebel groups and ethnic armed forces hold about 42%, according to a 2024 BBC investigation.

Smaller but persistent conflicts in Ethiopia’s border regions, Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, and Burkina Faso also worsened. While some of these were short-lived, they were mostly driven by a mix of insurgency and political instability.

Humanitarian officials have raised concerns over shortages of food, shelter and other basic supplies. Many of the newly arrived refugees have yet to receive assistance, increasing the risk of disease, especially amid persistent rain.

“Several people were killed, and our soldiers fled. As they were fleeing, they fired shots and people died,” said one woman who fled the violence with her three-month-old son. She described narrowly escaping gunfire as others around her were struck.

The security situation remains volatile, with the M23 group reportedly advancing to within a few kilometres of the Burundi–DRC border. Displaced families, carrying only what they could salvage, continue to wait anxiously for relocation despite difficult terrain and worsening weather conditions.