The African Union (AU) on Sunday cautioned against the fragmentation of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group’s capture of a second city in the country’s east.

“We don’t want a balkanisation of eastern DRC,” AU Peace and Security Commissioner Bankole Adeoye told reporters. Without directly naming Rwanda, he called for the immediate withdrawal of M23 and its supporters from all occupied towns and cities, including Goma airport.

M23 seized Goma, the provincial capital, at the end of January before advancing further south, intensifying violence in a region that has faced decades of conflict. The ongoing clashes have raised concerns beyond DRC’s borders, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning on Saturday that “a regional escalation must be avoided at all costs.”

Adeoye stressed the importance of upholding DRC’s sovereignty, political unity, and territorial integrity, calling for urgent action to prevent further destabilization.