The fall of the strategic city of Uvira , which fell to the M23 rebels and their allies, triggered a new wave of mass displacement. Under a deluge of bombs, thousands of Congolese abandoned everything to seek refuge in Rwanda and Burundi, illustrating the failure of recent diplomatic agreements.

Everyday horror: families torn apart

In Kamanyola, a town in South Kivu located on the border, daily life has been plunged into horror. The testimonies gathered in the Nyarushishi refugee camp in Rwanda are chilling:

1. Akilimali Mirindi (40 years old) : Her house was bombed. In the chaos of fleeing, she lost track of her husband and seven of her ten children. "I had to step over corpses to escape," she says.
2. Olinabangi Kayibanda (56 years old) : He describes scenes of carnage, mentioning the death of a pregnant neighbor and her two children, killed during a bombing.
3. Jeanette Bendereza (37 years old) : Having already been displaced once in Burundi in February, she returned home hoping for peace. She had to flee again under artillery fire, losing all contact with her husband.

A resounding diplomatic failure

This escalation of violence comes despite the signing, on December 4 in Washington, of a peace agreement between Presidents Félix Tshisekedi (DRC) and Paul Kagame (Rwanda). Although sponsored by Donald Trump, this agreement, hailed as a "miracle," already appears to be failing on the ground.

"It is clear that there is no agreement between Kagame and Tshisekedi. If they do not reach an agreement, the war will continue," laments Thomas Mutabazi, a 67-year-old refugee.

A critical military and humanitarian situation

The M23's control of Uvira marks a major strategic turning point. The rebel group now dominates the border area, further isolating the regular forces and their Burundian allies.

Key Point	Details
Conflict zone	South Kivu (Uvira, Kamanyola)
Belligerents	M23 (supported by Kigali) vs FARDC and Burundian army
Consequences	Thousands of refugees, scattered families, numerous civilian casualties
Humanitarian aid	Presence of NGOs and the WFP (World Food Programme) in the camps

As the bombs continue to fall, civilians find themselves caught in the crossfire, victims of a conflict that transcends borders and seems deaf to international calls for peace.