Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels Capture Uvira Amid Failed Peace Deal: A Dire Threat to Regional Stability and American Interests

In a stark reminder that surface-level diplomacy cannot substitute for firm action, the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 announced control over the strategic port city of Uvira in eastern Congo this Wednesday. This development comes just days after a high-profile peace agreement brokered in Washington between Congolese and Rwandan presidents—a deal that glaringly excluded the very rebels fueling the violence. The capture of Uvira is no ordinary event; it represents a critical escalation in one of the world’s deadliest conflicts, located on America’s geopolitical doorstep. Situated on Lake Tanganyika and directly across from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura, Uvira acts as a...