International News
DR Congo Conflict: Rwandan-Backed Rebels Announce Ceasefire
As fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) threatens to escalate further, the Rwandan-backed armed group M23 has declared a humanitarian ceasefire, effective Tuesday.
The declaration comes just days before a high-stakes crisis summit between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, set to take place in Tanzania.
The ceasefire follows last week’s dramatic escalation, which saw M23 and Rwandan forces seize Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
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While hostilities have subsided in Goma, home to over a million people, clashes have spread to neighbouring South Kivu province.
Local sources report that M23 and Rwandan forces are now near the mining town of Nyabibwe, approximately 70 kilometres from Bukavu airport, raising concerns of an advance on Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital.
Despite Tuesday’s ceasefire, reports indicate that both M23 and the Congolese army have been deploying reinforcements and military equipment.
In a statement on Monday, M23 claimed it had “no intention of taking control of Bukavu or other localities,” despite previously declaring an ambition to march toward Kinshasa.
The DRC has endured more than three decades of conflict, with M23’s resurgence exacerbating tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali. The United Nations has documented multiple ceasefires in the ongoing conflict, all of which have been short-lived.
The ceasefire follows warnings from international observers that continued violence could worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations has urged the immediate reopening of Goma airport, calling it a “lifeline” for humanitarian operations. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Bruno Lemarquis stressed that without the airport, evacuating the wounded and delivering medical supplies would be severely hindered.
The humanitarian toll has been devastating. At least 900 people were killed and 2,880 injured in the recent fighting, according to the UN. Meanwhile, over half a million people have been displaced in North and South Kivu since January alone.
The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled a special session on Friday to address the crisis at the request of the Congolese government.
On Tuesday, around 75 Congolese and international NGOs called for investigations into alleged human rights abuses by all parties involved in the fighting.
In Kinshasa, tensions remain high as authorities restrict access to social media and ban protests following previous attacks on embassies.
However, anger has spread beyond the DRC’s borders. Hundreds of Congolese protesters gathered outside the European Union offices in Pretoria, South Africa, demanding sanctions against Rwanda.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his country’s support for the DRC, despite growing pressure to withdraw troops after 14 South African soldiers were killed in the conflict. Their bodies are expected to be repatriated on Wednesday.
The DRC’s eastern regions are rich in valuable minerals, including coltan, gold, and other resources essential for global technology production.
A UN expert report published last year estimated that Rwanda had up to 4,000 troops in the DRC, allegedly to exploit these resources and maintain influence over M23. Rwanda denies military involvement, instead accusing Kinshasa of backing the FDLR, a militia composed of ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
With tensions at a boiling point, the upcoming summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Dar es Salaam could prove critical in determining the next steps in this protracted conflict.
However, with a history of failed truces, there is little optimism that this ceasefire will bring lasting peace to the region.
NATO air defence systems have intercepted a third ballistic missile believed to have been launched from Iran after it entered Turkish airspace, Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed on Friday, raising fresh concerns about the growing tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement, the ministry said the missile was neutralised by NATO air and missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean after it crossed into Turkish territory.
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The latest interception triggered security alerts across parts of southern Turkey.
Air raid sirens reportedly sounded at the strategic Incirlik Air Base, a key NATO military facility that hosts United States troops and other allied personnel.
Residents in the nearby city of Adana were awakened around 3:25 a.m. by the warning alarms. Some locals reportedly captured footage showing what appeared to be a fast-moving object on fire streaking across the sky.
Similar sirens were also heard in the eastern Turkish city of Batman around 4:00 a.m., with reports indicating the alarm may have been linked to a nearby military drone base located close to the city’s airport.
The incident marks the third time NATO defence systems have intercepted missiles linked to Iran in recent weeks. The first missile was shot down on March 4, while a second was intercepted earlier this week.
Following Monday’s incident, the United States temporarily shut down its consulate in Adana and urged American citizens to leave southeastern Turkey due to security concerns.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, reportedly denied that the missile had been launched from Iran during a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The rising tensions come amid the ongoing conflict that erupted on February 28 involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Since the outbreak of hostilities, Tehran has reportedly carried out retaliatory strikes across several locations in the Middle East.
Incirlik Air Base remains one of NATO’s most important strategic military facilities in the region. The base has hosted US troops for decades and also accommodates military personnel from other NATO member states including Spain and Poland.
Another key NATO installation is located in Kurecik, in Turkey’s Malatya province, where US troops operate an early-warning radar system capable of detecting missile launches from Iran. The radar facility forms part of NATO’s broader ballistic missile defence shield.
Although Turkish authorities have consistently denied that radar data from the base has been shared with Israel, its presence has reportedly raised concerns in Tehran.
Earlier this week, Turkey also confirmed the deployment of a Patriot missile defence system in Malatya as NATO strengthens its regional missile defence posture amid the escalating conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a disturbing update on the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, revealing that thousands of people have been killed or injured in just under two weeks.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that health systems across the Middle East are under “immense strain” and are at risk of complete collapse if the crisis continues.
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According to WHO reports, Iran has suffered over 1,300 deaths and around 9,000 injuries, while Lebanon has recorded at least 570 deaths and approximately 1,400 injuries.
In Israel, at least 15 people have died and more than 2,100 have been injured since hostilities escalated.
The conflict began on February 28, following a massive joint strike by US and Israeli forces that targeted top Iranian officials, including the country’s Supreme Leader.
The violence has since spread across the region, with retaliatory attacks targeting Israeli sites and US military bases in neighboring countries.
The humanitarian impact is severe. Over 100,000 Iranians and up to 700,000 Lebanese citizens have been displaced, many living in overcrowded conditions with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and medical care.
The WHO warns that these conditions put women and children at particular risk of disease outbreaks.
The organization also highlighted a growing trend of attacks on healthcare infrastructure, reporting dozens of strikes on hospitals and medical facilities across Iran and Lebanon.
Such attacks have not only resulted in deaths but also deprived entire communities of critical medical care when they need it most.
Tedros emphasized the urgent need for all parties to respect international law and protect civilians, calling for unimpeded humanitarian access and immediate measures to prevent the collapse of fragile health systems.
With the conflict continuing to escalate, the WHO has stressed that immediate action is required to protect lives, ensure medical support reaches affected populations, and prevent the humanitarian crisis from worsening.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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