Minembwe : le M23/Twirwaneho revendique une victoire et accuse la coalition FARDC–FDNB–Wazalendo de recul après une semaine de combats

Minembwe, 19 juin 2026—A week of intense clashes has gripped the high plateaus of Fizi and Mwenga territories in Sud-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Fighters from the Twirwaneho group, allied with the AFC-M23 politico-military coalition, engaged in fierce combat against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by the National Defence Force of Burundi (FDNB) and Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias.

Following the protracted fighting, Twirwaneho/M23 combatants assert they successfully repelled the government coalition from several strategic positions surrounding Minembwe. Concurrently, local residents and military sources have indicated a significant withdrawal of the engaged forces.

Reports from the ground confirm that the confrontations reached their peak intensity over the past week, marked by the deployment of heavy weaponry, drones, and extensive bombardments. Subsequently, the FARDC, FDNB, and their allies reportedly retreated towards the localities of Lwiko, Mutunda, and Miko, leaving numerous peripheral positions around Minembwe under the control of Twirwaneho/M23 fighters.

Civilians who fled the violence towards Kiziba recounted scenes of widespread panic and mass displacement. Multiple testimonies describe residential areas being hit by bombardments, though an independent assessment of casualties remains unconfirmed.

While the FARDC has yet to issue a comprehensive statement, local military sources have acknowledged a strategic repositioning following particularly severe engagements in the Ilundu and Bidegu areas.

Unverified information emerging from the conflict zone also suggests that Burundian military personnel from the FDNB may have abandoned equipment during their retreat towards Kakenge (Miko). Reports of human losses within the ranks of the FARDC, FDNB, and Wazalendo have surfaced, though no official casualty figures are currently available.

Claims of victory and strategic discourse

From the perspective of the Twirwaneho/M23 combatants, the narrative is one of clear military triumph. They claim to have pushed back government forces and their allies beyond several front lines, thereby solidifying their control around Minembwe.

Former Congolese national deputy Moïse Nyarugabo commended what he described as a “reversal of forces engaged against Minembwe.”

“The threat to Minembwe has been averted. Despite bombardments from Sukhois, drones, and heavy artillery, the opposing forces were pushed back beyond the Lwiko river,” he stated.

Nyarugabo further argued that military operations initiated months ago have failed to secure the consistently unstable high plateaus in the long term.

He also accused the coalition of being responsible for bombardments that resulted in civilian casualties and massive population displacements.

Controversy surrounding FDNB presence

The presence of the National Defence Force of Burundi (FDNB) alongside the FARDC continues to fuel regional controversy.

Certain security sources allege that Kinshasa offered Gitega mining exploitation advantages in the Minembwe region and other areas of Fizi territory in exchange for military support. These claims have not been substantiated by either Congolese or Burundian authorities.

However, Presidents Évariste Ndayishimiye and Félix Tshisekedi have both confirmed the existence of a bilateral security cooperation agreement permitting Burundian forces to operate on Congolese soil. A report from the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security indicated that over 29,000 Burundian soldiers were deployed in eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025.

Amidst these persistent security tensions, the Burundian army recently undertook new redeployments in the region, particularly following the withdrawal of AFC-M23 rebels from the strategic city of Uvira. Uvira, located near Goma and crucial transport routes connecting eastern Congo to Burundi, had been occupied for nearly a month between December 2025 and January 2026 before the rebel pullout.

More recently, local accounts also suggest that AFC-M23 elements withdrew from certain positions in the Rusizi plain under international pressure, notably from the United States and other partners involved in regional de-escalation efforts.

AFC-M23 and Twirwaneho at the core of the conflict

The March 23 Movement (M23) currently stands as a primary component of the Alliance Fleuve Congo–M23 (AFC-M23) politico-military coalition, led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the high plateaus of Sud-Kivu, this coalition relies significantly on the Twirwaneho armed movement, predominantly composed of youth from the Banyamulenge community.

Congolese authorities consistently accuse Rwanda of backing the AFC-M23 and its allies, allegations that Kigali systematically refutes. Rwanda, in turn, accuses Kinshasa of collaborating with the FDLR, an armed group comprising former Hutu officials implicated in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

Burundi also accuses Rwanda of supporting armed groups operating against its territory and harboring ambitions for influence in eastern DRC. Kigali denies these accusations while simultaneously reproaching Gitega for collaborating with the FDLR and other armed groups active in the region.

Within this climate of ongoing political and security tensions, the M23/AFC, a predominantly Tutsi movement that resumed hostilities in late 2021 after accusing Kinshasa of failing to honor reintegration commitments, now controls or influences several strategic areas in North and South Kivu, including key economic routes and localities.

A region perpetually unstable

Despite various regional agreements and diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalating the crisis in eastern DRC, ground clashes persist, with no immediate prospects for lasting peace. The Fizi highlands thus remain one of the most volatile hotspots in the Great Lakes region, where local rivalries intertwine with broader tensions between Kigali, Kinshasa, and Gitega.

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Photo d’archives : local militiamen attacking M23 at Bashali, while various armed groups clash in Minembwe, amidst high tensions in eastern DRC.