minembwe: m23/twirwaneho claims victory and accuses fardc–fdnb–wazalendo coalition of retreat after a week of fighting
Minembwe — For nearly a week, intense clashes have engulfed the high plateaus of Fizi and Mwenga territories in South Kivu. These confrontations pitted Twirwaneho fighters, aligned with the AFC-M23 politico-military coalition, against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), who were supported by Burundi’s National Defense Force (FDNB) and Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias.
Following the protracted combat, Twirwaneho/M23 combatants assert they successfully pushed back the government coalition from various strategic locations surrounding Minembwe. Concurrently, both local and military sources confirm a withdrawal by the engaged forces.
According to accounts from residents, the intensity of the fighting peaked during the week, characterized by the deployment of heavy weaponry, drones, and sustained bombardments. Subsequently, the FARDC, FDNB, and their allies reportedly retreated towards the localities of Lwiko, Mutunda, and Miko, leaving several peripheral positions around Minembwe under the control of Twirwaneho/M23 combatants.
Civilians who fled the fighting towards Kiziba recounted scenes of widespread panic and mass displacement. Numerous testimonies describe bombardments impacting inhabited areas, though an independent casualty assessment remains unconfirmed.
While the FARDC has yet to issue a detailed statement, local military sources have acknowledged a strategic repositioning following particularly fierce engagements in the Ilundu and Bidegu areas.
Unverified reports from the conflict zone further suggest that Burundian FDNB soldiers may have abandoned equipment during their retreat towards Kakenge (Miko). Human losses are also reported within the ranks of the FARDC, FDNB, and Wazalendo, although no official figures have been released.
claims of victory and accusations
From the perspective of the Twirwaneho/M23 combatants, the narrative is one of clear military triumph. They claim to have repelled government forces and their allies beyond several front lines, thereby consolidating their hold on positions around Minembwe.
Former Congolese national deputy, Moïse Nyarugabo, lauded what he described as a “retreat of the forces engaged against Minembwe.”
“The threat to Minembwe has been averted. Despite bombardments from Sukhoi jets, drones, and heavy artillery, the attacking forces were pushed back beyond the Lwiko River,” he affirmed.
Nyarugabo further contended that military operations initiated months ago have failed to secure the consistently unstable high plateaus in the long term.
He also accused the opposing coalition of being responsible for bombardments that resulted in civilian casualties and massive population displacements.
controversy surrounding fdnb presence
The presence of Burundi’s National Defense Force (FDNB) alongside the FARDC continues to fuel controversy across the region.
Some security sources allege that Kinshasa offered Gitega mining exploitation benefits in the Minembwe area and other parts of Fizi territory in exchange for military support. These claims have not been corroborated by either Congolese or Burundian authorities.
However, Presidents Évariste Ndayishimiye and Félix Tshisekedi have confirmed a bilateral security cooperation agreement allowing Burundian forces to operate on Congolese soil. According to a report from the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, over 29,000 Burundian soldiers were reportedly deployed in eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025.
Amidst these persistent tensions, the Burundian army recently undertook new redeployments in the region, particularly 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 control for nearly a month between December 2025 and January 2026 before their withdrawal.
More recently, local sources also indicate that elements of the AFC-M23 have retreated from certain positions in the Rusizi plain, reportedly under international pressure, including 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, led by Corneille Nangaa, the former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Within the high plateaus of South Kivu, this coalition notably relies on the armed movement Twirwaneho, predominantly composed of young individuals from the Banyamulenge community.
Congolese authorities frequently accuse Rwanda of backing the AFC-M23 and its allies, allegations consistently rejected by Kigali. 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 likewise refutes these accusations, while reproaching Gitega for alleged collaboration with the FDLR and other armed groups active in the region.
In this climate of enduring 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 various regional agreements and diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalating the crisis in eastern DRC, fighting persists on the ground, with no immediate prospect of lasting peace.
Consequently, the Fizi highlands remain one of the most volatile flashpoints in the Great Lakes region, where local rivalries are intricately intertwined with broader tensions between Kigali, Kinshasa, and Gitega.
