The assassination of Major General Peter Cirimwami marks a critical escalation in the conflict in DRC, amid a geopolitical scramble for the country’s vast mineral wealth.

Major General Peter Cirimwami, the military governor of North Kivu province, was shot near Kasengezi this past Thursday and later succumbed to his injuries. The incident occurred as he visited the frontline to assess the deteriorating security situation. His visit occurred while DRC President Félix Tshisekedi was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Speaker of Parliament Vital Kamhere was in Vietnam, and the Minister of Communication Patrick Muyaya was in France.