WASHINGTON – Intense clashes broke out once again in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Friday, just a day after a high-profile summit in Washington where U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to sign new agreements aimed at ending decades of conflict in the mineral-rich region.
During the Thursday meeting, Tshisekedi and Kagame reaffirmed their commitment to a U.S.-brokered peace deal reached in June designed to stabilize eastern Congo and encourage Western mining investments. President Trump described the effort as “settling a war that’s been going on for decades,” highlighting the U.S. administration’s role in brokering peace to enhance both global stability and American business interests.
However, despite diplomatic progress in Washington, violence on the ground surged unabated as rival forces blamed each other. The Rwandan-backed rebel group AFC/M23, which seized major eastern Congolese cities earlier this year and remains outside the Washington agreement, accused government troops of launching widespread attacks. Meanwhile, Congolese military spokespeople confirmed ongoing fighting and accused Rwandan forces of indiscriminate bombardment using fighter jets and drones.
Analysts warn that while U.S. diplomacy may have temporarily paused escalation, it failed to address the root causes of the conflict. Neither Congo nor Rwanda has fully met their commitments under the June framework, fueling continued instability.
Footage circulating online showed dozens of displaced Congolese families fleeing near the town of Luvungi in South Kivu province, carrying their belongings and livestock. These images, though not independently verified by Reuters, depict the humanitarian toll of the conflict. AFC/M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka lamented the destruction of homes and the tragic deaths of women and children in the fighting.
A senior AFC/M23 official told Reuters rebels recaptured the town of Luberika and downed a Congolese army drone. “The war continues on the ground and has no connection with the signing of the agreement that took place yesterday in Washington,” he said on condition of anonymity.
As deadly violence rages despite diplomatic efforts, the future of peace and stability in eastern Congo remains uncertain, with local populations bearing the brunt of ongoing clashes between government and rebel forces.