The rebels have been trying to push south towards Bukavu since they seized Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, at the end of last month.
The capture of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, would represent an unprecedented expansion of territory under the M23’s control since the latest insurgency started in 2022, and deal a further blow to Kinshasa’s authority in the east.
“The city of Bukavu can no longer hold,” a local civil society source said.
A spokesman for the Congolese army, Sylvain Ekenge, confirmed that rebels had taken control of the strategic Kavumu airport to the north of Bukavu and that Congolese troops had pulled back with their equipment.
He did not say where they had withdrawn to, but Congolese and Burundian troops were seen leaving Bukavu’s main military camp, Saio, two residents and one UN source said.
“They’re retreating to avoid fighting in populated areas,” said one person, who lives near the camp.
A Congolese officer at the camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that some, but not all troops had left.
Videos shot in Bukavu and shared widely online appeared to show Congolese and Burundian troops on the move.
Reuters could not immediately verify the footage.
The UN refugee agency voiced concern yesterday at the “rapidly deteriorating” situation in the region, saying the war had left around 350,000 displaced people with no roof over their heads.
Any escalation in Bukavu could worsen the humanitarian situation, with the UN saying on Thursday that there had been an influx of displaced people moving towards the city, where nearly 1.3 million people already reside.
President warns of wider war
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi meanwhile was seeking international support to help end the crisis, warning the Munich Security Conference of the risk of a wider war.
“Of course this could lead to a spill over in the region,” he said, reiterating his call for Rwanda to be held accountable for its role in the conflict.
“It is up to the international community to prevent this conflict spreading.”
Rwanda rejects accusations from Congo, the United Nations, and western powers that thousands of its troops are fighting alongside M23.
It says it is defending itself against the threat from a Hutu-led militia, which it says is fighting alongside the Congolese military.
The crisis will be high on the agenda at the annual two-day African Union summit in Addis Ababa this weekend.
Tshisekedi will not attend, sending his prime minister to represent Congo, the presidency said yesterday.
Tshisekedi is under intense pressure at home.
As the fighting rages in the east, a heavier military presence has also deployed over the past week throughout the capital Kinshasa, some 1,600km west of Goma, a Reuters reporter said.
In Munich, Tshisekedi accused former president Joseph Kabila of siding with the rebels and Rwanda in a bid to destabilise the country.
“The real sponsors (of the conflict) are hiding. And the real sponsor of this opposition is my predecessor, Joseph Kabila.”
Barbara Nzimbi, Kabila’s communications adviser, said: “I completely deny these accusations. But that’s Mr Tshisekedi’s policy, to find a scapegoat rather than provide a solution.”