Minembwe: M23/Twirwaneho declares victory, accusing the FARDC–FDNB–Wazalendo coalition of retreat following a week of intense clashes

Minembwe, June 19, 2026—For nearly a week, fierce confrontations gripped the high plateaus of Fizi and Mwenga territories in South Kivu. Combatants from the Twirwaneho group, allied with the AFC-M23 politico-military coalition, engaged directly with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), who were supported by the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) and Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias.

Following these protracted battles, Twirwaneho/M23 fighters asserted they had pushed the government coalition back from several strategic positions surrounding Minembwe. Concurrently, both local residents and military sources confirmed a significant repositioning of the engaged forces.

Local accounts described the clashes as reaching peak intensity throughout the week, characterized by the deployment of heavy weaponry, drone strikes, and extensive bombardments. Subsequently, the FARDC, FDNB, and their allies reportedly withdrew towards the localities of Lwiko, Mutunda, and Miko, leaving numerous peripheral areas of Minembwe under the control of Twirwaneho/M23 combatants.

Civilians who sought refuge from the fighting in Kiziba recounted scenes of widespread panic and mass displacement. Multiple testimonies indicated that bombardments impacted inhabited zones, though an independent assessment of casualties remains unconfirmed.

While the FARDC had not issued a detailed statement at the time of this report, local military officials corroborated a strategic repositioning after particularly violent engagements in the Ilundu and Bidegu areas.

Unverified reports from the conflict zone also suggested that Burundian FDNB military personnel abandoned equipment during their retreat towards Kakenge (Miko). Unofficial reports indicated human losses within the ranks of the FARDC, FDNB, and Wazalendo, though no official casualty figures have been released.

Claims of victory and strategic discourse

From the perspective of the Twirwaneho/M23 combatants, the narrative is one of military triumph. They maintained that they successfully repelled government forces and their allies beyond several front lines, thereby solidifying their control around Minembwe.

Former Congolese national deputy Moïse Nyarugabo lauded what he described as a “retreat of forces arrayed against Minembwe.”

“The threat to Minembwe has been averted. Despite bombardments from Sukhoi jets, drones, and heavy artillery, the engaged forces were pushed back beyond the Lwiko River,” he stated.

According to Nyarugabo, military operations launched months ago have consistently failed to secure the perennially unstable high plateaus.

He further accused the coalition of responsibility for bombardments that resulted in civilian casualties and mass population displacements.

Controversy surrounding FDNB presence

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

Some security sources alleged that Kinshasa offered Gitega mining concessions in the Minembwe region and other areas of Fizi territory in exchange for military assistance. These claims have not been officially corroborated by either Congolese or Burundian authorities.

However, Presidents Évariste Ndayishimiye and Félix Tshisekedi have publicly affirmed the existence of a bilateral security cooperation agreement, which permits the intervention of Burundian forces 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 carried out new redeployments in the region. This occurred notably after the AFC-M23 rebels withdrew from the strategic city of Uvira, located near Goma and crucial routes connecting eastern Congo to Burundi. Uvira had been under rebel occupation for nearly a month between December 2025 and January 2026 before their withdrawal.

More recently, local sources also confirmed that elements of the AFC-M23 retreated from certain positions in the Rusizi plain, reportedly under international pressure, particularly from the United States and other partners involved in regional de-escalation efforts.

AFC-M23 and Twirwaneho at the heart 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, which is led by Corneille Nangaa, the former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the high plateaus of South Kivu, this coalition specifically relies on the Twirwaneho armed movement, which is predominantly comprised of young individuals from the Banyamulenge community.

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

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

Within this climate of ongoing 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 vital economic routes and key localities.

A region perpetually unstable

Despite numerous regional agreements and diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalating the crisis in eastern DRC, confrontations persist on the ground, with no immediate prospect of lasting peace.

The Fizi highlands thus remain one of the most volatile flashpoints in the Great Lakes region, where local rivalries are deeply intertwined with broader tensions between Kigali, Kinshasa, and Gitega.

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Photo d’archives : miliciens locaux à l’attaque du M23 à Bashali, tandis que des combats opposent divers groupes armés à Minembwe, dans un contexte de fortes tensions dans l’est de la RDC.