DR Congo conflict: frequently asked questions
Short, clear answers to the questions people ask most.
Is there still a war in Congo?
Yes. While the countrywide wars of 1996–2003 formally ended, an active conflict continues in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, and it escalated sharply in 2025 when M23 captured the city of Goma.
How many people have died?
Estimates for the wars of 1998–2003 alone run to around five million, the great majority from disease and starvation rather than direct violence. The toll from the continuing eastern conflict adds many thousands more each year.
How many people are displaced?
Around seven million people are displaced inside the DRC — one of the largest internal displacement crises in the world — with hundreds of thousands more forced to move during the 2025 escalation.
Who are the M23?
M23 is a mainly Tutsi-led rebel group, the most powerful in the region in recent years. The Congolese government and UN experts say it is backed by neighbouring Rwanda, which denies involvement. See our who's who for the other groups.
What is Rwanda's role?
Congo, the UN and several governments accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons. Rwanda rejects the accusation and cites the presence of the anti-Rwandan FDLR militia in Congo. The dispute between the two countries is central to the conflict.
What does it have to do with phones and electric cars?
Eastern Congo produces coltan (for tantalum), cobalt, gold and tin — materials used in phones, laptops and batteries. Control of these minerals helps finance armed groups. Read more in why Congo's minerals matter.
Why isn't this in the news more?
The conflict is complex, dangerous for journalists to cover, and far from the countries whose media set the global agenda. That gap is exactly why this site exists.