In January, an offensive from the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group routed much larger armies of the United Nations and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The rebels seized Goma, the largest city in the eastern DRC, and currently possess the largest share of territory since the formation of the group. U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk warned that the worst may be yet to come, with a risk of an all-out regional war breaking out once again.