Bomb Blast Kills Dozens in Eastern Congo Amid Army-Militia Clashes
Over 30 killed and dozens wounded in Sange as army and pro-government militia clash amid fragile peace in eastern Congo
- A bomb blast in Sange, South Kivu, eastern Congo killed over 30 people and wounded 20
- The violence erupted just days after a US-brokered peace deal between Congo and Rwanda
- President Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of violating the peace agreement, backing attacks
A deadly bomb explosion in eastern Congo has claimed the lives of over 30 people and injured 20 others following clashes between the national army and a pro-government militia.
The blast struck Sange, a town in South Kivu, on Sunday evening, deepening the suffering in a region already ravaged by years of conflict.
Residents reported that soldiers from the Congolese army (FARDC) and Wazalendo militia fighters exchanged gunfire after a disagreement over troop movements, moments before the explosion devastated the area. Local leaders said soldiers returning from the front lines were ordered to halt in Sange, sparking an argument that escalated into violence.
The blast forced families to flee toward the Burundian border, with further skirmishes reported nearby on Monday morning. Eastern Congo continues to be contested by over 100 armed groups vying for territory, minerals, and local influence along the Rwandan border.
The incident occurred less than a week after Congo and Rwanda signed a US-brokered peace agreement in Washington, which was hailed as a breakthrough. However, residents, analysts, and civil society groups report that clashes between the Congolese army and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have intensified despite the accord.
A local civil society leader in Sange said civilians were caught in the crossfire, accusing both government troops and militia fighters of indiscriminate killings.
President Felix Tshisekedi told parliament on Monday that Rwanda violated the peace agreement, continuing to destabilize eastern Congo. He accused Kigali of backing cross-border attacks and profiting from Congo’s natural resources.
The M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Rwandan forces according to UN experts, previously captured Goma and Bukavu earlier this year. The Congolese army has not yet commented on the Sunday explosion, as the region braces for further unrest.
