Twelve-hour battle ends in control of Point Zéro, a critical outpost in Itombwe highlands
Minembwe, 6 July 2026 — The armed coalition comprising Twirwaneho fighters and the M23/AFC-M23 movement, part of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC-M23), has declared it captured the strategic Point Zéro position in the Itombwe highlands, Mwenga territory, South-Kivu. The statement issued by the group’s military spokesman, Fidèle Rugabo, claims the post was taken after a twelve-hour offensive launched on Saturday, 4 July against combined government forces.
The communiqué states that both the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), the Burundian National Defence Force (FDNB) and the Wazalendo militias—backed by Kinshasa—abandoned their positions without resistance.
Witnesses describe intense fighting across multiple axes
Local residents in Minembwe report heavy exchanges of fire along the routes linking Mikenge, Kalongi and Rubemba. One resident, requesting anonymity, said, «We’ve been living in constant fear since the start of the year. If Point Zéro has truly fallen, perhaps the attacks will ease.»
Unverified accounts suggest that FARDC and FDNB units have withdrawn from several posts—Point Zéro, Mikenge, Kalongi, Rubemba and Kakenge—towards Mutambala, Mukera and the neighbouring Fizi territory.
A militarily vital position in a conflict-ridden region
Point Zéro, located in the rugged Itombwe massif, sits on a crossroads that connects Minembwe, Mikenge, Mwenga and Fizi. Its capture by rebel forces represents a significant shift in the balance of power across the South-Kivu highlands, a zone long contested by multiple armed factions.
The latest clashes follow the M23/AFC-M23’s withdrawal from Uvira in January 2026, which intensified fighting in the highlands. The region has since become a focal point for confrontations between the Congolese army, Burundian troops, Wazalendo militias and rebel groups allied with the AFC-M23.
Burundian forces deployed under a bilateral security pact
The presence of Burundian troops in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is authorised under a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Gitega and Kinshasa. Official records indicate that over 29,000 Burundian soldiers were deployed in eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025, initially targeting Burundian rebel factions such as RED-Tabara but now engaged in joint operations with FARDC against multiple armed groups.
Recent redeployments have been observed in Mwenga, Fizi and Uvira territories, coinciding with a surge in hostilities between government-backed coalitions and rebel movements.
Regional tensions fuel ongoing instability
The conflict in eastern DRC remains deeply intertwined with broader regional rivalries. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Kigali of backing the M23/AFC-M23, a claim repeatedly denied by Rwandan authorities. Kigali, in turn, alleges Congolese collaboration with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group whose leadership includes figures implicated in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
Gitega has also accused Kigali of supporting armed factions hostile to Burundi operating in eastern DRC, while Kigali criticises Gitega’s cooperation with the FDLR and other regional armed groups.
Diplomatic efforts stall as fighting persists
The capture of Point Zéro comes despite a 27 June 2026 Washington-mediated agreement between DRC and Rwanda aimed at de-escalating tensions and guiding military disengagement. However, ground operations continue, particularly in the South-Kivu highlands, where local rivalries, communal tensions and geopolitical interests perpetuate a volatile and protracted conflict.
At the time of reporting, no official response had been issued by the FARDC, FDNB or Burundian authorities regarding the rebel claims.
