In the hills surrounding Saké, a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a tense standoff persists. Fighters from the M23 rebel group, one of over 100 armed groups vying for control in the mineral-rich region near the Rwandan border, remain a constant threat. As the M23 advances, young Congolese, like Alpha, have taken up arms with the Wazalendo, or "Patriots" in Swahili, a local militia fighting alongside the national army.
“I took up arms because of the security situation in my country. We are fighting the M23, foreigners who are trying to take Congo from us,” Alpha says defiantly. Despite the looming danger, Alpha and the Wazalendo refuse to abandon their homeland.
The situation is dire for the remaining civilians in Saké. Bitakweya, a local resident, watches the battle unfold from his home. “I can see the enemy on the other hill, and here we have the Wazalendo and the army. I don’t know if I can stay as long as the enemy is near.”
Further east, in the streets of Goma, UN peacekeepers from MONUSCO patrol, attempting to maintain order. The mission’s strategy fluctuates based on the level of violence and threats posed by the armed groups, including M23. With recurrent clashes and mass displacements, the region remains unstable. In North Kivu alone, over 2.8 million people are currently displaced, fleeing the violence that has plagued this part of the DRC for years.