Minembwe: the M23/Twirwaneho alliance declares triumph, accusing the FARDC–FDNB–Wazalendo coalition of withdrawal after a week of intense clashes

Minembwe, 19 juin 2026—For nearly a week, fierce clashes have engulfed the high plateaus of Fizi and Mwenga territories in South Kivu. The conflict pitted Twirwaneho fighters, allied with the AFC-M23 politico-military coalition, against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) and Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias.

Following the intense engagements, Twirwaneho/M23 combatants assert they have pushed back the government coalition from multiple positions surrounding Minembwe. Local and military sources corroborate a strategic repositioning by the engaged forces.

According to local accounts, the confrontations reached their peak intensity during the week, characterized by the deployment of heavy weaponry, drones, and sustained bombardments. The FARDC, FDNB, and their allies subsequently retreated towards the localities of Lwiko, Mutunda, and Miko, leaving several peripheral positions of Minembwe under the control of Twirwaneho/M23 fighters.

Residents who fled the fighting to Kiziba describe scenes of widespread panic and massive civilian displacement. Numerous testimonies recount bombardments impacting inhabited areas; however, an independent assessment of casualties remains unconfirmed.

The FARDC has yet to issue a detailed statement. Nevertheless, local military sources confirm a strategic repositioning following particularly violent clashes in the Ilundu and Bidegu areas.

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

Victory claims and declarations

From the perspective of the Twirwaneho/M23 combatants, the narrative is one of military triumph. They claim to have repelled government forces and their allies beyond several front lines, thereby consolidating their hold around Minembwe.

Former Congolese national deputy Moïse Nyarugabo lauded what he termed a “retreat of forces engaged against Minembwe.”

“The threat to Minembwe has been averted. Despite bombardments from Sukhoi jets, drones, and heavy artillery, the attacking forces were repelled beyond the Lwiko river,” he affirmed.

According to Nyarugabo, military operations launched months ago have failed to provide lasting security to the consistently unstable high plateaus. He further accused the coalition of responsibility for bombardments that resulted in civilian casualties and massive population displacements.

Controversy surrounding FDNB presence

The presence of the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) alongside the FARDC continues to generate significant controversy within the region.

Certain security sources suggest that Kinshasa may have offered Gitega advantages related to mining exploitation in the Minembwe region and other areas of Fizi territory in exchange for military support. These allegations have not been officially confirmed by either Congolese or Burundian authorities.

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

Against this backdrop, the Burundian army recently undertook new redeployments in the region amid heightened security tensions, particularly following the withdrawal of AFC-M23 rebels from the strategic city of Uvira. Uvira, situated near Goma and crucial routes connecting eastern Congo to Burundi, had been occupied for approximately one month between December 2025 and January 2026 before the rebels’ retreat.

More recently, local sources also report that elements of the AFC-M23 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 heart of the conflict

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

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

Congolese authorities consistently accuse Rwanda of supporting the AFC-M23 and its allies, allegations Kigali systematically denies. 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 backing armed groups operating against its territory and harboring ambitions for influence in eastern DRC. Kigali refutes these accusations, simultaneously reproaching Gitega for its alleged collaboration with the FDLR and other armed groups active in the region.

Within this climate of persistent tensions, the M23/AFC, a predominantly Tutsi movement that resumed hostilities in late 2021 after accusing Kinshasa of failing to honor its 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 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 intricately intertwined with broader tensions between Kigali, Kinshasa, and Gitega.

____________________________________________

Archive photo: local militiamen attacking M23 in Bashali, as various armed groups clash in Minembwe amidst high tensions in eastern DRC.