Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels Capture Key Cities In Congo

M23 rebels guard outside the South Kivu province administrative office, at the centre of east Congo's second-largest city, Bukavu, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Janvier Barhahiga)

Rwanda-backed rebels have made significant advances in Congo's mineral-rich east, capturing two key cities in less than a month. The M23 rebels, supported by thousands of troops from Rwanda, first seized Goma and then Bukavu, escalating their long-standing conflict against Congolese forces.

Who are the rebels and what do they want?