...formerly the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and who knows what else, not to be confused with the Brazzaville Congo aka
Republic of Congo, which is much smaller and much more (for Africa) stable. DRC gave the world Patrice Lumumba and Joseph Mobutu, followed by years of tedious civil war. Its principle industry seems to be the production of corpses. With a population of about 74 million it has lots of raw material...
(DRC) is facing worsening turmoil, as ongoing conflicts have displaced millions and strained relations with neighboring countries.
The region, rich in natural resources, has been plagued by violence for decades, with rebel groups like the Allied Democratic Forces
...established in the early 1990s through an agreement between portions of Uganda’s Salaf Tabliq Islamic sect and the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU), who said they had been sidelined by Museveni’s policies. At the time, the rebels staged deadly attacks in Ugandan villages and the capital, including a 1998 attack in which 80 students were massacred. A Ugandan military operation later forced the ADF into eastern Congo. The ADF has since established ties with the Islamic State group. The ADF has received funding from the Government of Sudan, which has also provided supplies and training. The ADF may also have received funding from the illegal mining and logging industries of the DRC....(ADF) and M23 fueling the conflict.
Refugees like Arthur Masimango, who fled to Uganda after his father was killed by rebels, represent the human toll of this crisis. "We were unsafe," Masimango recalls, highlighting the desperation that has driven thousands to seek safety across borders.
The violence in Eastern DRC has claimed around six million lives over three decades, and nearly seven million people have been displaced. Despite international efforts, the conflict's impact is felt across the Great Lakes region, disrupting trade, displacing populations, and stalling progress.
There are accusations against Rwanda for allegedly supporting the M23 militia, complicating peace efforts. Experts stress the need for unified regional leadership to address the crisis and bring lasting stability to the DRC and its neighbors.