The M23 armed group has reclaimed its position as the deadliest armed faction in eastern DRC after inflicting at least 114 civilian fatalities in June alone, according to the latest Kivu Security Tracker (KST) report.

The KST documented 247 security incidents across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces in June—a 19% decline from May’s 305 incidents. However, this reduction masks a disturbing reconfiguration of violence, with the report highlighting shifting patterns of conflict.

The M23 is directly linked to at least 114 civilian deaths and 17 abductions in June, marking the highest monthly toll attributed to the group since December 2025, when its forces seized control of Uvira. Analysts attribute this surge to renewed offensives in Masisi and Rutshuru territories, where civilians accused of collaborating with Wazalendo or Rwanda’s FDLR rebels have been systematically targeted.

Notably, the report documents the discovery of at least 48 bodies in Bibwe village, Masisi territory, following an M23 operation against FDLR elements. Witness accounts confirm most victims perished from shrapnel wounds.

In total, KST recorded 115 armed clashes in June, with 46—nearly 40%—initiated by M23 forces, underscoring the group’s dominant role in the escalating crisis.

Meanwhile, Ituri witnessed a marked decrease in activity from the Convention for the People’s Revolution (CRP), following the group’s unilateral ceasefire declaration in May and ongoing government-mediated talks with Ugandan facilitation.

The report also notes the Cooperative for Development of Congo (CODECO) militia’s announced transformation into a politico-military movement, framed as an effort to secure political recognition and reduce internal divisions.

Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants continued their campaign of violence, accounting for at least 62 civilian deaths and 57 abductions in June. The report further warns of the group’s expanding footprint beyond its traditional strongholds into Haut-Uele province.