Congo War Security Review, April 16, 2025

Data Cutoff: April 16, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST

Follow CTP on Twitter, LinkedIn, and BlueSky for daily updates.

Read CTP’s latest analysis on the war in the eastern DRC in the weekly Africa File here. To receive the Africa File via email, please subscribe here.

Key Takeaway: Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo militia fighters clashed with M23 on the RN2 road in between Kalehe and Kabare districts in northern South Kivu. Elements from the Congolese military and intelligence services raided former DRC President Joseph Kabila’s family residence in Kinshasa, the DRC's capital. The Rwandan foreign minister said that Qatari-mediated peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda have resulted in “significant progress toward peace.” The Qatari government-owned French soccer club Paris Saint-German (PSG) renewed its tourism partnership with Rwanda despite pressure from the DRC to drop the partnership.

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia

Nothing significant to report.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo militia fighters clashed with M23 on the RN2 road in between Kalehe and Kabare districts in northern South Kivu. Congolese media reported that Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 in Kabamba—about 12 miles north of the Kavumu airport—on the RN2 on April 16.[1] Congolese media had reported that M23 regained control of Kabamba and Kasheke—two miles north of Kabamba—on April 15.[2] Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo militia fighters launched an offensive against M23 in the Katana area from their positions north of Katana on the RN2 road and in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park on April 12.[3]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

Nothing significant to report.

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu

Nothing significant to report.

Major Political Developments

Elements from the Congolese military and intelligence services raided former DRC President Joseph Kabila’s family residence in Kinshasa, the DRCs capital. Congolese security personnel executed a search and seizure order without a warrant targeting “warehouses, containers, premises and other vehicles” on Kabila’s property on April 15 and April 16 in search of “state military equipment that may have been stolen or hidden.”[4] Congolese media reported that another raid is planned for April 17.[5]

The Rwandan foreign minister said that Qatari-mediated peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda have resulted in “significant progress toward peace” on April 15.[6] Qatar brokered a ceasefire between the DRC and Rwanda on March 18 and has since hosted numerous rounds of negotiations between senior Congolese and Rwandan officials.[7]

The Qatari government–owned French soccer club Paris Saint-German (PSG) renewed its tourism partnership with Rwanda. PSG announced on April 16 that it extended the “Visit Rwanda” partnership through 2028.[8] The DRC government had been lobbying PSG and several other major European soccer clubs to drop its deal with Rwanda since M23 seized the North Kivu provincial capital of Goma in late January.[9] A subsidiary of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund owns 87.5 percent of PSG’s shares.[10]