Kivu conflict

The Kivu conflict began in 2004 in the eastern Congo as an armed conflict between the military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Hutu Power group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has broadly consisted of three phases, the third of which is an ongoing conflict. Prior to March 2009, the main combatant group against the FARDC was the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). Following the cessation of hostilities between these two forces, rebel Tutsi forces, formerly under the command of Laurent Nkunda, became the dominant opposition to the government forces.

Kivu Conflict
Part of the aftermath of the Second Congo War
Approximate map of current military situation in Kivu. For a detailed map, see here. Clases and incidents map:
Date 2 June 2004[1] – 27 February 2009 (First phase) 4 April 2012 – 7 November 2013 (Second phase) 31 January 2015[2] – present (Third phase) (19 years) Location Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (spillovers in Rwanda, Burundi and Ituri, Maniema and Tanganyika provinces, Democratic Republic of the Congo) Status Ongoing FARDC victory against the CNDP and the M23 Movement CNDP becomes a political party in the DRC M23 Movement signs peace agreement with the DRC government FDLR, Mai-Mai militias and other armed groups still active in Eastern DRC UN and FARDC begin operation to defeat the FDLR and their allies at the start of 2015
Belligerents
M23 (from 2012; temporarily rebranded as "M27")[3] CNDP (2006–2009) Supported by:  Rwanda[4][5] Burundi (Alleged)	DR Congo FARDC Pro-government Mai-Mai militias FDLR (2006–2014) APCLS[6] (2012–2013) Nyatura (2012–2014) MONUSCO  Angola  Zimbabwe  Botswana (against FNL and FNL–Nzabampema) Supported by:  France  Belgium	FDLR (2014–) APCLS[7] (2013–2016) RUD–Urunana (2006–) Nyatura (2014–) FNL–Nzabampema (2013–) FNL/Palipehutu (1993–2009, 2010–2013) FPB (2015–) RED–Tabara (2015–)	NDC-R (2014–) Mai-Mai Sheka[8](2008–2017) Mai Mai Yakutumba (2009–) CNPSC (2017–) Other Anti-government Mai Mai militas[9] Raia Mutomboki[10] (2005–) ADF IS–CAP Mai-Mai Kyandenga (2016–2017, 2019–)
Commanders and leaders
Laurent Nkunda (POW) Bosco Ntaganda  Sultani Makenga  Jean-Marie Runiga Lugerero	Joseph Kabila (to 2019) Félix Tshisekedi (from 2019) Gabriel Amisi Kumba Lucien Bahuma Emmanuel Lombe[11] Ignace Murwanashyaka (POW) Babacar Gaye Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz João Lourenço José Eduardo dos Santos Emmerson Mnangagwa Robert Mugabe Mokgweetsi Masisi Ian Khama	Sylvestre Mudacumura[12] Callixte Mbarushimana Ignace Murwanashyaka (POW) Janvier Buingo Karairi (APCLS) Agathon Rwasa (FNL/Palipehutu) Aloys Nzabampema (FNL–Nzabampema)	Guidon Shimiray Mwissa Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka  (Mai-Mai Sheka) William Yakutumba (Mai Mai Yakutumba/CNPSC) Devos Kagalaba  (Raia Mutomboki) Salumu Kaseke  (Raia Mutomboki)
Strength
6,000–8,000 CNDP (2007)[13] 5,500+ M23 (2012)	2004: 20,000 total troops;[13][14] 14,000 FARDC troops 4,000–5,000 Mai Mai militia[14] 2008: 3,500 Mai-Mai militia[15] 6,000–7,000 FDLR[15] 2013: 22,016 UN Monusco Uniformed personnel (2013)[16]	2,000 FDLR[17] 1,500 ACPLS[18] 3,000 FNL/Palipehutu Hundreds of FNL–Nzabampema	1,000–1,250 (2018)[19] Several thousand Raia Mutomboki militia 10,000+ other armed groups
Casualties and losses
CNDP: 233 killed[citation needed]	FARDC: 71 killed[citation needed] BDF: Unknown 17+ killed[20][21]	Unknown	Unknown
More than 1.4 million internally displaced persons,[22] hundreds of thousands of excess deaths, 11,873+ people killed (including civilians and combatants of each sides)[23][24][20][25][26]

The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has played a large role in the conflict. With a 21,000-strong force, the Kivu conflict constitutes the largest peacekeeping mission currently in operation. In total, 93 peacekeepers have died in the region, with 15 dying in a large-scale attack by an Islamist militia, the Allied Democratic Forces, in North Kivu in December 2017.[27] The peacekeeping force seeks to prevent escalation of force in the conflict, and minimise human rights abuses like sexual assault and the use of child soldiers.[28]

CNDP is sympathetic to the Banyamulenge in Eastern Congo, an ethnic Tutsi group, and to the Tutsi-dominated government of neighboring Rwanda. It was opposed by the FDLR, by the DRC army, and by United Nations forces.