People flee DR Congo fighting one day after peace deal signed in Washington

Fresh Conflict Erupts in DR Congo Amid Peace Deal

Fighting broke out in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, just one day after a peace deal was signed in Washington DC. The fighting has forced hundreds to flee across the border into Rwanda, highlighting the fragile nature of the agreement.

The conflict in South Kivu province saw clashes between M23, an anti-government armed group backed by Rwanda, and the Congolese army, which is being reinforced by thousands of Burundian soldiers. Both sides were battling for control of Kamanyola, a border town where the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi meet.

Eyewitnesses reported that detonations shook buildings throughout the morning near the border post in Bugarama, just 2km away from Kamanyola on the Rwandan side. M23 accused the Burundian army of firing indiscriminately into the DRC, prompting a response from the Burundian military to reinforce their positions.

The situation is escalating, with the Burundian military warning that if M23 and their Rwandan backers reach the city of Uvira, just 30km from Bujumbura, they could not accept it. The threat has forced hundreds of civilians to flee across the border into Rwanda, where witnesses described hearing bombs explode above houses and children being taken refuge in locked homes.

The peace deal signed in Washington DC was hailed as a "miracle" by US President Donald Trump, but its failure to curb violence is raising questions about its effectiveness. The conflict in eastern DR Congo has been ongoing for 30 years, and the fragile nature of the agreement suggests that much work remains to be done to achieve lasting peace.

I dont think its fair to say the peace deal failed yet . I mean, it was signed just one day ago, what did they expect? The fact that fighting broke out is a setback, but not the end of the world. And lets be real, 30 years of conflict is a long time, its gonna take some time to get things sorted out. M23 has been a thorn in the side of the Congolese government for ages, so I'm surprised the peace deal was even reached . Rwanda's got a lot to answer for though, backing an anti-government group and then accusing the Burundian army of firing randomly? Sounds like a classic case of blaming the other guy .

Just heard about this fresh conflict erupting in DRC ... sounds like things are about to get really messy over there https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59179531

Ugh, I mean... come on, this isn't even surprising anymore . We've seen this same script play out like five times already in DR Congo. The peace deal is a joke, it's all just temporary fixes until the next group comes along and starts fighting. And let's be real, Rwanda and Burundi are basically in bed with M23, so it was never going to work out .

I mean, can we please just acknowledge that 30 years of conflict is not a good look for anyone? It's like, what have we even been doing all these years? And now the US President is calling it a "miracle"? Are you kidding me? . We need to do better than this, we need real solutions, not just PR stunts and feel-good speeches .

And honestly, I'm so tired of hearing about the same old conflict in DR Congo. Can't we talk about something else for once?

I'M SO FRUSTRATED WITH ALL THESE PEACE DEALS THAT FAIL TO WORK!!! IT'S LIKE WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT REALLY SOLVING ANYTHING! CONGO IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WITH SUCH RESILIENT PEOPLE AND YET THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR DECADES. I FEEL BAD FOR ALL THOSE CIVILIANS WHO ARE GETTING FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMES AGAIN. IT'S LIKE WE SHOULD JUST STOP TRYING TO FIX EVERYTHING WITH A QUICK FIX BUT RATHER TAKE THE TIME TO REALLY UNDERSTAND AND WORK THROUGH THE PROBLEMS.

Ugh, another peace deal bites the dust . I mean, what's the point of signing a treaty if you're just gonna let things fall apart as soon as the cameras leave? I'm not buying it that Rwanda's backing M23 for no reason - they've got an ulterior motive, mark my words . And who gets to decide when the violence stops and starts again? The peace deal was a total joke, just a PR stunt to keep Trump happy . These hundreds of civilians fleeing into Rwanda are probably gonna end up in some refugee camp somewhere, living in squalor... it's always the same story .

ugh this peace deal is a joke, like what did they expect? 30 yrs of fighting and now they think signing a piece of paper will fix it?! Rwanda's involvement is super sus too, backing M23 just to get what they want from the DRC... meanwhile civilians are getting caught in the crossfire . We need real solutions not just some half-baked agreement .

man I was just thinking about trying out this new plant-based pizza place near my place I mean have you tried it? it's got all these unique toppings like pineapple and eggplant anyway back to DRC... I feel bad for those people stuck in the middle of all this conflict. 30 years is, like, forever you wonder what's going through their minds when they're running for their lives or fighting for control of a town... anyway, I just hope someone can figure out a way to keep the peace

what's up with all these conflicts in africa? it's like they just can't catch a break. first, it's rwanda backing m23 and now burundian soldiers are getting involved... meanwhile, the congolese army is still trying to figure out how to keep its own country from falling apart

i mean, i get that 30 years of conflict is no joke, but can't we just sit down and talk for once? it's like they're all trying to solve world hunger or something... newsflash: africa has problems too and sometimes you gotta take care of them before worrying about everyone else

anyway, this peace deal thingy sounds like a pipe dream if you ask me. what's the point of signing something if it's just gonna get broken the second someone gets threatened? or worse, if they start using civilians as human shields

this whole thing is just so... predictable ... like we've seen this movie before. a peace deal signed, but still violence erupts. what's the real solution here? it can't just be throwing more troops in and expecting everything to magically change. we need to talk about the root causes of the conflict and work on building genuine relationships between the parties involved. and what's with Rwanda's backing of M23? is this really a case of supporting a rebel group or are there other factors at play that we're not seeing? ...

come on dont believe everything trump says lol just another attempt by him to show off i mean who really cares about a "miracle" when the actual outcome is always gonna be super messy anyway its not like anyone saw this one coming or anything what did we expect? Congo's been having problems for decades its not like some peace deal's gonna magically fix everything

OMG u guys its like wierd how peace deal can break down so fast lol i mean didnt they think thru it tho? M23 is a total troublemaker btw i dont trust Rwanda one bit but Congolese army gotta step up their game 2 I heard the Burundian soldiers are there to help but its all good if it means peace right? we should keep hope alive lol but seriously what's goin on in that country tho? 30 yrs of conflict is wild I just wanna see those ppl gettin along

this is gonna sound crazy but i think the war in DRC is never really gonna end, they just keep finding new ways to kick each other outta their own homes like what's the point of signing a peace deal if both sides are just gonna start fighting again? and it's not even like anyone's even trying to find a real solution... all i see is Rwanda backing M23 & Burundi sending troops in hundreds more refugees fleeing into Rwanda can't they just talk things out or somethin'

still can't believe this is happening just one day after a peace deal... it's like we're taking two steps forward, then one step back . Rwanda getting involved, Burundi backing up the Congolese army... it's like they're playing a game of chess with lives . And what about the civilians? They're the ones who are going to suffer most in this mess. We need to think about long-term solutions, not just quick fixes .

I'm low-key worried about this whole situation ... like, I get it, conflicts are a thing in the DRC and all that, but 30 years is a looong time to be fighting over something! And now with the peace deal signing and all, you'd think things would be getting better, not worse. M23 and Rwanda backing them just seems like another way of prolonging the conflict... can't we all just get along? I mean, I know there are some complex stuff going on in the region, but still, a hundred civilians running for their lives every time things heat up is a red flag. What's next gonna be Rwanda and Burundi backing each other against Uganda or something? Can we just have some peace in Africa for once?

omg this is so sad i'm literally shaking thinking about all these people being affected by war it's like, how can we even hope for a peaceful future when conflicts keep popping up in places like DRC? i know that the US signed some peace deal and all but seriously, what does this mean for those innocent civilians living in South Kivu? how are they supposed to feel safe again?

This is so messed up ! Another peace deal fails and people are getting hurt. I mean, can't we just get along? The fact that fighting broke out just one day after the agreement was signed is like, what even is that? It's not exactly surprising, though - 30 years of conflict doesn't exactly lend itself to easy solutions.

I'm not surprised Rwanda got involved, tbh. They've been backing M23 for ages, so it's no surprise they'd defend their allies. But at the end of the day, innocent civilians are getting caught in the crossfire... And that peace deal? Yeah, I wouldn't bet on its success just yet .

I'm seriously worried about these families fleeing their homes because of this fighting . Can't we just have a moment of peace after all these years? I mean, I get it, there's still a lot of work to do, but can't we try and keep the peace for at least a little while longer? And what really gets me is that they're having to leave because of gunfire and bombs - is this really the kind of 'peace' we're supposed to be celebrating?

I'm getting really worried about the DRC situation . I remember when my friend's sister went on a volunteer trip there a few years ago and said it was like living in a war zone. The conflict has been going on for so long, 30 years is just crazy. And now this peace deal fails to make a difference? It's just heartbreaking . I wish the international community would put more pressure on those countries backing M23 and Burundi's army to stop supporting them. We can't just sit back and watch civilians suffer .

Ugh this is so sad I mean, one day they're all like "peace deal" and then BAM fighting breaks out again! It's just heartbreaking to see people running for their lives and innocent kids getting caught in the crossfire . The situation is super volatile right now and it's hard to predict what will happen next . I feel bad for the Congolese army, they're already doing a tough job trying to keep peace and stability in the country . We need to keep supporting them and working towards a more lasting solution to this conflict #PeaceForDRcongo #SupportTheArmy #FragilePeaceDeal