The DRC has broken off relations with Rwanda amid the escalation following long-running suspicions by Kinshasa, the UN, the US and its allies that the neighboring nation has helped fuel the conflict, and is now directly involved in fighting.

The M23 (March 23 Movement), also known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army, is a Tutsi-led militia hailing from the DRC’s northeast. They’ve long accused the government of failing to integrate Congolese Tutsis into administrative and military roles.

M23 is now in control of a major mining operation extracting coltan, a key element used in smartphones, laptops and other electronics. The DRC is home to an estimated $24-$35 trillion in untapped mineral and energy wealth, but is also one of the five poorest countries in the world, in part thanks to decades of colonialism, imperialism and meddling by foreign powers.

Also from that region, Americans Sentenced in Congo Coup Plot, Recalling History of US Interference in Africa