World

Residents emerge in DR Congo’s tense Uvira after M23 rebel takeover

Published

6 months ago

December 13, 2025

Residents emerge in DR Congo’s tense Uvira after M23 rebel takeover

A cautious calm has settled over the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) city of Uvira in South Kivu province, as residents begin emerging from their homes following its capture by M23 rebels.

The capture earlier this week threatens to derail a United States-brokered peace agreement, signed with much fanfare and overseen by President Donald Trump a week ago, between Congolese and Rwandan leaders, with Washington accusing Rwanda on Friday of igniting the offensive.

Recommended Stories

list of 2 itemsend of list

Regional authorities say at least 400 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in the violence between the cities of Bukavu and Uvira, both now under M23 control.

Al Jazeera is the only international broadcaster in Uvira, where correspondent Alain Uaykani on Saturday described an uneasy calm in the port city on the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika, which sits directly across from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.

Uaykani said government and allied militias, known as “Wazalendo”, which had been using the city as a headquarters, began fleeing even before M23 fighters entered.

Residents who fled as the Rwanda-backed group advanced have begun returning to their homes, though most shops and businesses remain shuttered.

“People are coming out, they feel the fear is behind them,” Uaykani said, though he noted the situation remains fragile with signs of intense combat visible throughout the city.

Bienvenue Mwatumabire, a resident of Uvira, told Al Jazeera he was at work when fighting between rebels and government forces broke out, and he heard gunshots from a neighbouring village and decided to stop, but said that “today we have noticed things are getting back to normal.”

Baoleze Beinfait, another Uvira resident, said people in the city were not being harassed by the rebels, but added, “We will see how things are in the coming days.”

M23’s spokesperson defended the offensive, claiming the group had “liberated” Uvira from what he called “terrorist forces”. The rebels say they are protecting ethnic Tutsi communities in eastern DRC, a region that has seen fighting intensify since earlier this year.

The offensive, which began on December 2, has displaced more than 200,000 people across South Kivu province, according to local United Nations partners.

Rwanda accused of backing rebels

South Kivu officials said Rwandan special forces and foreign mercenaries were operating in Uvira “in clear violation” of both the recent Washington accords and earlier ceasefire agreements reached in Doha, Qatar.

At the UN Security Council on Friday, US ambassador Mike Waltz accused Rwanda of leading the region “towards increased instability and war,” warning that Washington would hold spoilers to peace accountable.

Waltz said Rwanda has maintained strategic control of M23 since the group re-emerged in 2021, with between 5,000 and 7,000 Rwandan troops fighting alongside the rebels in Congo as of early December.

“Kigali has been intimately involved in planning and executing the war in eastern DRC,” Waltz told the UNSC, referring to Rwanda’s capital.

Rwanda’s UN ambassador denied the allegations, accusing the DRC of violating the ceasefire. Rwanda acknowledges having troops in eastern DRC but says they are there to safeguard its security, particularly against Hutu militia groups that fled across the border to Congo after Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

The fall of Uvira has raised the alarm in neighbouring Burundi, which has deployed forces to the region. Burundi’s UN ambassador warned that “restraint has its limits,” saying continued attacks would make it difficult to avoid direct confrontation between the two countries.

More than 30,000 refugees have fled into Burundi in recent days.

The DRC’s foreign minister urged the UNSC to hold Rwanda accountable, saying “impunity has gone on for far too long”.

A report by the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats project said Rwanda provided significant support to M23’s Uvira offensive, calling it the group’s most consequential operation since March.

Al Jazeera’s UN correspondent Kristen Saloomey said UNSC members were briefed by experts who noted that civilians in DRC are not benefitting from the recent agreements negotiated between Kinshasa and Kigali.

More than 100 armed groups are fighting for control of mineral-rich eastern DRC near the Rwandan border. The conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than seven million people displaced across the region.

The M23 group is not party to the Washington-mediated negotiations between DRC and Rwanda, participating instead in separate talks with the Congolese government hosted by Qatar.

Related Topics:africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Featured news Rwanda

Click to comment

World

Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

Published

8 minutes ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.

The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”

One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.

Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.

2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED

Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)

All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.

The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.

MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS

Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.

“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.

Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.

She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.

World

Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

Published

1 hour ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

NewsFeed

As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.

Published On 20 Jun 2026

World

On the South Lawn, a UFC fighter’s victory frames an unusual White House scene

Published

9 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

On the South Lawn, a UFC fighter’s victory frames an unusual White House scene

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Schiefelbein has been based in Washington, D.C., with AP for about three years, and before that spent a decade in Beijing at AP’s China bureau.

Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

This was an event that had never happened before in the 250-year history of the United States and may never happen again: a night of mixed martial-arts cage match brawls on the South Lawn of the White House, with bloodied competitors battling it out in front of the president, vice president, and other leaders of the country. AP had other photographers ringside at the event focusing more on the fights themselves. So I felt my role was to capture the context of the evening — the location, the people in attendance, the environment.

How I made this photo

A small group of other photographers and I, the White House press pool, had been allowed to photograph part of the evening from a position in the stands directly opposite the White House. I was carrying four cameras with a variety of lenses from 12 mm to 300 mm. This let me capture everything from ultra-wide views of the “claw” structure built for the fights, to close-ups of leaders and celebrities in attendance. I had been following Diego Lopes with my longest lens as he moved around the ring celebrating his win over Steve Garcia. When I saw him start to climb onto the cage, I immediately realized there might be a possibility of a picture like this and zoomed out to capture more of the scene.

An octagon on the White House lawn for Trump’s 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th, in photos

1 of 30 |

President Donald Trump and Dana White, UFC president and CEO, arrive for UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

2 of 30 |

Diego Lopes fights Steve Garcia in a featherweight bout during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington.(Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP)

3 of 30 |

President Donald Trump attends UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

4 of 30 |

Josh Hokit lands a punch as he fights Derrick Lewis during their heavyweight bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

5 of 30 |

Diego Lopes, stands on the ring fence during the featherweight bout against Steve Garcia during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

6 of 30 |

President Donald Trump, center, gestures as he attends UFC Freedom 250 alongside UFC President and CEO Dana White, left, and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP)

7 of 30 |

Nic Becker, of Houston, shows off a Freedom 250 tattoo he got earlier in the day during UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of the fights on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

8 of 30 |

Lightweight Justin Gaethje is filmed by a crew on the White House Collannade, as he walks to UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

9 of 30 |

First lady Melania Trump walks out to the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

10 of 30 |

Fans wear America-themed clothing during the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

11 of 30 |

President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO Dana White watch the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a fly over the White House during the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

12 of 30 |

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during the National Anthem at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

13 of 30 |

MMA fighter Sean Strickland is escorted out of the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on The Ellipse by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool Photo via AP)

14 of 30 |

UFC fans take video before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

15 of 30 |

Eric Albarracin at the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

16 of 30 |

Kai Trump arrives before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

17 of 30 |

Diego Lopes participates in the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

18 of 30 |

UFC commentator Joe Rogan during the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

19 of 30 |

Ilia Topuria, center, during the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

20 of 30 |

People arrive before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

21 of 30 |

Motorsports athletes and stunt performers do a motorcycle jump ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

22 of 30 |

Isaiah Francisco and Eric Albarracin at the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

23 of 30 |

UFC bantamweight fighters Sean O’Malley and Aiemann Zahabi face off during a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

24 of 30 |

A UFC fan participates in the UFC striking challenge before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

25 of 30 |

The UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

26 of 30 |

The UFC holds a news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

27 of 30 |

UFC fighter Alex Pereira holds his UFC belts at a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

28 of 30 |

UFC bantamweight fighter Sean O’Malley enters a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

29 of 30 |

The UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

30 of 30 |

Audience members cheer and boo during a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Why this photo works

The White House is surely one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. The columns of the South Portico, the fighter standing with arms and legs spread wide in celebration, and the octagon padding of the UFC ring tell an entire story as your eyes move from top to bottom of the frame. With Lopes standing with his back to the camera, facing the White House, it becomes less a photo of him and more about the evening, the event, and the spectacle. It was fortunate that it was after nightfall, so things that might have been distracting, like the Marine Band and spectators seated behind the ring, are mostly in the dark. Only the key elements – the White House, Lopes, and the ring are lit up.

—

For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.