Articles

In late April, two opposing armed groups staged a series of attacks in eastern DRC, leaving at least 69 dead and prompting an intervention by MONUSCO, the UN’s peacekeeping force in the region. These groups are just two among an estimated 120 armed actors currently operating in the region. But what drives such a fragmented picture? To answer this question, we spoke to some of our expert investigators for insights into the complex array of belligerents in eastern DRC.

Eastern DRC’s abundant natural resources and the habitats that host them are just one of the many victims of the ongoing conflict. Armed groups turn to these resources as a means of conflict financing, while at the same time the precarious conditions of millions of people displaced by the conflict itself put further strain on protected areas harbouring the raw materials needed for survival. Read the article in full to find out more about the relationship between armed conflict in eastern DRC and the region’s resources.

Following M23’s withdrawal from Uvira, CIR verified the looting of a predominantly Banyamulenge church and documented a sharp increase in online criticism of MONUSCO, highlighting concerns about civilian protection during periods of shifting territorial control in eastern DRC.

On 2 January 2026, an airstrike on central Masisi, eastern DRC, reportedly killed 22 and injured at least 40 others. The strike destroyed homes and also damaged the offices of War Child, an NGO serving children affected by conflict. M23, a Rwandan-backed Congolese paramilitary group, and the Congolese government – opposing sides in a conflict with causes stretching back at least 30 years – have since blamed each other for the attack.