---
title: "M23 rebels enter another eastern Congo town, defying calls for ceasefire"
description: "March 19 (Reuters) - Rwanda-backed M23 rebels pressed deeper into Congolese territory a day after Congo and Rwanda's presidents called for an immediate ceasefire, entering the outskirts of the town of Walikale late on Wednesday, residents told Reuters."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-19-m23-rebels-enter-another-eastern-congo-town-defying-calls-for-ceasefire/"
published: "2025-03-19T21:07:55"
updated: "2025-03-19T21:07:56"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 351
---

# M23 rebels enter another eastern Congo town, defying calls for ceasefire

> March 19 (Reuters) - Rwanda-backed M23 rebels pressed deeper into Congolese territory a day after Congo and Rwanda's presidents called for an immediate ceasefire, entering the outskirts of the town of Walikale late on Wednesday, residents told Reuters.

By Reuters · Published 19 March 2025, 23:07 SAST · Updated 19 March 2025, 23:07 SAST

## Key points
- As rebels push their way into the mineral-rich outskirts of Walikale, the cacophony of gunfire drowns out diplomatic calls for peace, proving once again that in the DRC, the only thing more explosive than the conflict is the irony of ceasefire negotiations.
- Intense fighting erupts near Walikale as rebels clash with soldiers and pro-government militias.
- M23 rebels advance westward, reaching Walikale, a mineral-rich area, for the first time.
- Ceasefire calls from Congo and Rwanda follow the escalation, amid diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
- M23 withdraws from planned talks, citing EU sanctions, while Rwanda denies supporting the rebels.

## Content

- Rebels battling soldiers, militiamen on Walikale outskirts
- Walikale is farthest west the rebels have reached
- Fighting follows calls by Congo and Rwanda for ceasefire

Gunfire was ringing out from near the town's Nyabangi neighbourhood, said Walikale resident Janvier Kabutwa. An army source, who asked not to be named, said the rebels were battling soldiers and pro-government militias after overrunning an army positionoutside the town in a surprise attack.

Walikale, which is in an area rich in minerals including tin, is the farthest west M23 has reached during its unprecedented advance this year.

The town of about 15,000 people sits about 125 km (80 miles) northwest of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's largest city Goma, which the rebels seized in January, and puts them within 400 km of Kisangani, Congo's fourth-biggest city.

The westward advance forced Alphamin Resources AFM.V last week to suspend operations at its Bisie tin mine, about 60 km northwest of Walikale town.

Neighbouring countries and foreign powers have been stepping up [diplomatic efforts](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3Q10TF&linkedFromStory=true) to halt what has quickly become eastern Congo's worst conflict since a 1998-2003 war that drew in multiple neighbouring countries.

On Tuesday, Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame met in Qatar for their first direct talks since M23 stepped up its offensive in January.

They issued a joint statement along with Qatar that called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire.

The United Nations says Rwanda has supported the ethnic Tutsi-led rebels by providing arms and sending troops.

Rwanda has denied supporting M23. It says its military has been acting in self defence against Congo's army and a militia founded by some of the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Congo and M23 had been expected to have their first direct talks on Tuesday in Angola after Tshisekedi's government went back on its longstanding refusal to speak to the rebels.

But M23 pulled out of the talks on Monday, blaming European Union sanctions against some of its leaders and Rwandan officials.

(Reporting by Congo newsroom; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Toby Chopra, Alexandra Hudson)