M23 Rebels Claim Control of Strategic City in Eastern Congo Amid U.S. Peace Efforts
The Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 has announced that it has seized control of the strategic city of Uvira in eastern Congo. This development follows a rapid offensive by the group, despite a recent U.S.-mediated peace agreement between the Congolese and Rwandan presidents. The agreement, which did not include M23, obliges Rwanda to halt support for armed groups. The city of Uvira, located on the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika, is a significant port city directly across from Burundi's largest city, Bujumbura. The takeover has led to chaos, with reports of Congolese army troops fleeing and gunfire throughout the city. The Congolese government, along with the United States and U.N. experts, accuses Rwanda of backing M23, a claim Rwanda denies. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa has called for M23 and Rwandan troops to cease offensive operations and for Rwandan forces to withdraw. 
