The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has intensified its military response against the M23 rebel group, utilizing drone strikes to target a critical coltan mining site near Rubaya in North Kivu. This site has been under M23 control, with support from Rwanda, since its capture in April 2024. Coltan is a vital mineral for modern technology, as it is used in electronics such as smartphones and laptops, and the Rubaya mine is a key producer, supplying up to 30 percent of the global demand. The ongoing conflict has escalated since the M23's resurgence in 2021, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the resource-rich eastern regions of the DRC.

In addition to the strikes in North Kivu, recent clashes have also occurred in neighboring South Kivu, where M23-affiliated militias have engaged Congolese troops near the strategic town of Uvira, located close to the Burundian border. Local militias have rallied alongside Congolese forces, particularly around the Masisi area, to combat the rebel advances. Reports from UN experts indicate that M23 has established a parallel governance system to manage mining operations in Rubaya, complicating the local authorities' efforts to regain control.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations led by Angola and increasing diplomatic interventions from the United States, the fighting persists, leaving civilians in constant fear of violence and airstrikes. The situation underscores the fragility of peace efforts in the region and the dire need for a sustainable resolution to the protracted conflict, which has claimed countless lives and displaced many in the eastern DRC over the past three decades.