DRC Government’s Renewed Violence in Eastern Congo Undermines Doha Peace Deal

Oct. 27, 2025 — A week after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the AFC-M23 signed a peace agreement in Doha, renewed fighting and reported airstrikes by FARDC forces on civilian areas have cast doubt on the future of the accord.

The October 14 agreement, brokered with support from Qatar, the United States and the African Union, established a ceasefire monitoring mechanism aimed at ensuring peace in eastern Congo.

However, between October 21 and 23, the Congolese army (FARDC) conducted airstrikes on villages in Bashali, Mokoto and Walikale, killing dozens of civilians, according to local witnesses and AFC-M23 representatives.

The rebel movement condemned the strikes and accused the Congolese government of violating the Doha accord and attempting to sabotage peace efforts. Kinshasa has not yet comment.

Pattern of Ethnic Violence

The recent attacks follow months of escalating violence in the North and South Kivu provinces, where the FARDC and the DRC-backed FDLR militia have been targeting Congolese Tutsi communities.

Since April, rights groups and local sources have reported bombings, arson and mass killings in several villages. United Nations figures indicate hundreds of civilian deaths, implicating both government forces and DRC-backed allied militias.

The monitoring group Genocide Watch has placed eastern Congo at its highest alert levels — Persecution and Extermination — warning that the situation may amount to an unfolding genocide.

Hate speech by some Congolese officials labeling Tutsis as “Rwandan invaders” has reportedly fueled mob attacks and ethnic killings, while social media has amplified incitement to violence.

New Drone Strikes Reported

On October 21 and 22, new drone strikes allegedly carried out by the FARDC hit densely populated areas in Nyarushyamba, Masisi and Kashebere in Walikale territory, according to humanitarian sources. The attacks represent another breach of the ceasefire and a potential escalation of the conflict.

Analysts say the pattern of operations suggests continued cooperation between the Congolese military and the FDLR, raising concerns of state-backed ethnic cleansing in the region.

Fragile Peace Agreement Under Threat

The Doha peace agreement had raised hopes for an end to years of instability in eastern Congo, where multiple armed groups have competed for territory and mineral resources. But observers now warn that unless Kinshasa halts its military campaign and distances itself from backing the FDLR, the peace process could collapse entirely.

Now, diplomatic interventions towards Kinshasa are necessary in order to prevent further atrocities and to ensure accountability for violations of the ceasefire.