Eastern DRC & Rwanda
Assessment
M23/AFC holds Goma and Bukavu and FARDC-M23 clashes continue in North and South Kivu, while the Washington and Doha tracks grind on: DRC and Rwandan officials meet in Geneva on Sept 16-17 under the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism, with neither the neutralisation of the FDLR nor Rwanda's lifting of its border defensive measures declared complete. Police dispersed opposition protests against Tshisekedi's constitutional amendment in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Uvira on Sept 15 and arrested at least 10 people, with the C64 coalition and the Catholic Church treating the proposed referendum as a third-term vehicle. The country's worst-ever Ebola epidemic passed 7,022 cases and 3,398 deaths on Sept 12 and reached a seventh province, South-Ubangi, on Sept 11, and UN responders said on Sept 15 that the outbreak is still widening across conflict-affected areas.
Recent, assessed
- 2026-09-15Police use tear gas against C64 opposition protests in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Uvira against Tshisekedi's constitutional amendment; at least 10 people arrested. aljazeera.com
- 2026-09-15DRC and Rwanda set to meet in Geneva on Sept 16-17 under the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism with US, Qatari, Togolese and AU mediators; FDLR neutralisation and Rwanda's lifting of defensive measures both remain undeclared. aljazeera.com
- 2026-09-15UN says Ebola responders are grappling with a still-widening outbreak in DR Congo and appeals for renewed international support. news.un.org
Level history
Levels set by research reviews. A level set by hand is shown at the top of the page while it is in force and is not part of this history.
| Date | Level | Status | Trend | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-15 | 4 | Active war | ■ stable | Weekly review |
| 2026-09-14 | 4 | Active war | ■ stable | Weekly review |
| 2026-09-12 | 4 | Active war | ■ stable | Weekly review |
| 2026-09-12 | 4 | Active war | ■ stable | Baseline |
Latest headlines 13
Matched to this entry by keyword from the pull of 19 Sep, 11:09 UTC. Not reviewed; some may be off-topic.
- Congo War Security Review, September 18, 2026
- DRC: in Goma and Bukavu, students face the specter of a sacrificed academic year
- DRC-Rwanda: Can Geneva talks break the cycle of war in eastern Congo?
- Congo is at the centre of a critical minerals race between China and the West
- Moldova and DR Congo Discuss Establishing Diplomatic Relations
- DRC: OCHA helps with response endeavours amid ebola outbreak
- 3,450 arrive in Ibba after fleeing Ebola fears in Congo – Officials
- Women and girls pay high price in DR Congo Ebola outbreak
- DRC protesters rally against Tshisekedi's plan to change constitution
- This Week in Peace #143: September 18
- Protests against Tshisekedi’s proposed constitutional changes met with arrests, death
- DRC opposition condemns violence at protests over constitutional changes
- World: Southern African summit pledges 'unwavering' support