The latest conflict in eastern Congo has exposed endemic weaknesses in the country’s military, long known for corruption, extortion and abuse.

In terms of access to combat theaters, journalists from Goma, Bukavu, or Bunia have difficulty reporting live. “Many are faced with these limitations and prohibitions—only those who work with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo [FARDC] report live in theaters of operations,” according to Musamba.

Bukavu rises from chaos, but scars remain. Looters and rebels left devastation, yet merchants return, clinging to hope. As M23 advances, fear grips the region—will peace hold, or is worse to come?

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have captured the city of Bukavu. As government forces retreated, a wave of violence and looting swept through the provincial capital.

The UN human rights chief accused Rwanda-backed rebels who seized a second major city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of killing children and attacking hospitals and warehouses storing humanitarian aid.