The picturesque tea plantations surrounding Rwanda’s Nyarushishi refugee camp now serve as a backdrop to a humanitarian catastrophe. On Friday, December 26, 2025, newly arrived Congolese refugees shared harrowing accounts of a conflict that has reignited with a vengeance, rendering the recent Washington Peace Deal virtually toothless.
Separated Families and “Raining Bombs”
For the 1,000 refugees who have recently crossed into Rwanda’s Rusizi district, the war is not a matter of geopolitics, but of survival.
- Broken Families: 40-year-old Akilimali Mirindi arrived at the camp with only three of her ten children. “I don’t know what happened to the other seven, or their father,” she told AFP, describing a frantic escape from Kamanyola as her home was obliterated.
- The Sight of Death: Refugees describe jumping over corpses of the young and old while fleeing. 56-year-old Olinabangi Kayibanda recalled seeing a pregnant neighbor and her two children killed instantly when their home was bombed.
- Caught in the Crossfire: Survivors claim they were targeted from all sides, with shells coming from the DRC national army (FARDC), Burundian allies, and the M23 rebels.
The Failure of Diplomacy: The December 4 Accord
The renewed violence is a direct blow to the diplomatic efforts of US President Donald Trump, who hosted DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame on December 4.
| Timeline | Event | Status |
| Dec 4, 2024 | Trump hosts Kagame and Tshisekedi in Washington. | Peace Deal Signed |
| Mid-Dec 2024 | M23 launches a major offensive in South Kivu. | Deal Violated |
| Late Dec 2024 | M23 captures the strategic city of Uvira. | Escalation |
Refugees remain skeptical of the political theater. “It’s clear there is no understanding between Kagame and Tshisekedi… If they don’t reach an understanding, war will go on,” said Thomas Mutabazi, a 67-year-old refugee.
Strategic Shifts: The Fall of Uvira
The M23 group, which the DRC and Western nations maintain is backed by Rwanda (a claim Kigali denies), has made significant territorial gains:
- Uvira Captured: The seizure of this key city on the shores of Lake Tanganyika marks a critical expansion of the conflict into South Kivu.
- Burundi’s Involvement: Burundian troops, stationed in the DRC to assist the government, are increasingly involved in direct combat as the rebels push toward their border.
- The Cycle of Displacement: Many refugees, like Jeanette Bendereza, are “repeat victims”—having fled to Burundi earlier this year, returned home when told peace had been restored, only to flee again as M23 moved in.
Humanitarian Situation at Nyarushishi
While the camp is currently well-stocked by the UN and World Food Programme (WFP), the psychological toll is immense. The majority of the residents are women and children who have lost contact with their male relatives and have watched their livelihoods—fields and livestock—be stripped bare by advancing forces.