Tensions are rising across eastern Congo after M23 rebels staged a mass parade in Goma, displaying more than 7,000 new recruits and tightening positions along the front. Rights groups say some joiners may have been coerced, while Kinshasa and the rebels trade accusations of breaking ceasefire terms just as mediators push a Washington-stage accord.

Parade Pressure Tests Peace

M23’s fanfare—featuring thousands of uniformed recruits the group says include surrendered soldiers and local militia—was designed to project strength in territory abutting Goma. “The situation is troubling,” said Christian Rumu of Amnesty International, as monitors warned that forced or pressured recruitment persists despite diplomatic overtures. The spectacle lands days before a planned signing step for an accord in Washington, where a key plank is the withdrawal of outside backing for M23 and the return of occupied areas.

Skirmishes Undercut Mediation

Even as shuttle diplomacy seeks to lock in security guarantees, both sides report new flare-ups and accuse each other of breaching truce lines. Negotiators have linked security measures to reforms in the minerals trade, but implementation has lagged amid entrenched mistrust and battlefield realities. Analysts caution that the parties appear to be digging in rather than preparing to disengage, complicating timelines for any withdrawal or cantonment.

Human Cost Mounts Anew

The conflict’s toll is stark: reports cite thousands killed and millions uprooted, with a U.N. assessment cataloguing gang rape, sexual slavery, torture, and killings by both the army and M23. Displacement has swelled amid clashes near key routes and population centers, underscoring why relief groups argue that any accord must prioritize civilian protection and accountability alongside security benchmarks.