A Uruguayan soldier who was part of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) also died in the battle with M23 rebel fighters. Chief of SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya said the M23 fighters are allegedly trained and backed by the Republic of Rwanda, a neighbour of the DRC.

A potential Ebola outbreak has been reported in the DRC, at a time when the Trump administration has paused communication with the WHO.

This introduction lays a foundation for the discussion of the East African Community and the battle for the soul of the DR Congo. However, it may be necessary to note that the Congolese hold very strong views that some countries in the East African Community are responsible for the armed rebellion in the eastern part of their country.

DRC government spokesman confirms the presence of Rwandan army in Goma and says Kinshasa is working to avoid carnage.

The M23 group is one of about 100 armed factions vying for a foothold in eastern Congo, where a decades-long conflict has raged. The group, made up primarily of ethnic Tutsis who failed to integrate into the Congolese army,

The southern African regional group SADC said it will hold a special summit on the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday in the Zimbabwean capital.

The conflict comes amid rising global tensions after Donald Trump’s election, especially between Washington and Beijing, over control of strategic minerals like those present in the Congo.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a rare infection most commonly found in parts of central and east Africa. The seventh confirmed UK case was recorded in a person who had recently travelled to Uganda.

A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.