Grammy-winning artist Tems announced on Thursday that she would be canceling her upcoming concert in Kigali, Rwanda, due to the country’s support for the M23 rebel group, which has been waging an offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Tems, whose full name is Temilade Openiyi, made the decision following widespread international criticism of Rwanda’s alleged backing of M23, which recently seized control of Goma, a key city in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. The armed group's offensive has intensified tensions in the region.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Tems explained that she had been unaware of the ongoing conflict when she initially announced her concert at BK Arena on March 22. "So I recently promoted my show in Rwanda without realizing there is ongoing conflict between Rwanda and Congo," she wrote.

“I never ever intend to be insensitive to real-world issues, and I sincerely apologize if this came across that way,” she added. "I simply had no idea this was going on. My heart goes out to those affected.”

Her statement came just hours after M23 leaders vowed to push their military campaign further, with the goal of reaching Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC.

The UK government has said it is reviewing its aid to Rwanda in light of its involvement in the crisis. DR Congo has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 to gain access to the region’s valuable mineral resources. A UN report published in July corroborated these claims, revealing that Rwanda has deployed thousands of troops in eastern DRC and exercises "de facto control" over the rebel group.

Rwanda has denied these allegations, with President Paul Kagame maintaining that military action will continue until the FDLR—an armed group formed by former Hutu leaders responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide—is neutralized.

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