Minembwe: M23/Twirwaneho claims victory and accuses the FARDC–FDNB–Wazalendo coalition of retreat after a week of fighting
Minembwe, 19 juin 2026—A week of fierce clashes has rocked the high plateaus of Fizi and Mwenga territories in South Kivu, pitting Twirwaneho fighters, allied with the AFC-M23 politico-military coalition, against the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by Burundi’s National Defence Force (FDNB) and Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias.
Following these intense engagements, the Twirwaneho/M23 combatants assert they have driven the government coalition from numerous positions surrounding Minembwe. Meanwhile, both local residents and military sources confirm a withdrawal by the combined forces.
Local accounts indicate that the fighting reached its peak intensity over the past week, characterized by the deployment of heavy weaponry, drones, and sustained bombardments. Subsequently, the FARDC, FDNB, and their allies reportedly retreated towards Lwiko, Mutunda, and Miko, leaving several peripheral areas of Minembwe under the control of Twirwaneho/M23 fighters.
Residents who sought refuge in Kiziba describe scenes of widespread panic and mass civilian displacement. Multiple testimonies recount bombardments impacting inhabited areas, though an independent assessment of casualties remains unconfirmed.
The FARDC has yet to release a detailed statement; however, local military informants corroborate a strategic repositioning after particularly violent encounters in the Ilundu and Bidegu sectors.
Unverified reports from the conflict zone also suggest that Burundian FDNB soldiers abandoned equipment during their retreat towards Kakenge (Miko). While human losses are reported among the FARDC, FDNB, and Wazalendo ranks, no official casualty figures have been made public.
Claims of victory and strategic advancements
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 solidifying their control around Minembwe.
Former Congolese national deputy Moïse Nyarugabo commended what he described as a “retreat of forces engaged against Minembwe.”
“The threat to Minembwe has been averted. Despite Sukhoi bombardments, drone attacks, and heavy artillery, the attacking forces were pushed back beyond the Lwiko river,” he affirmed.
According to Nyarugabo, military operations launched months ago have failed to secure the consistently unstable high plateaus effectively. He further accused the coalition of responsibility for bombardments that led to civilian casualties and widespread population displacement.
Controversy surrounding FDNB presence
The involvement of Burundi’s National Defence Force (FDNB) alongside the FARDC continues to fuel regional controversy.
Certain security sources allege that Kinshasa offered Gitega mining exploitation benefits in the Minembwe region and other areas of Fizi territory in exchange for military support. These claims have not been substantiated by either Congolese or Burundian authorities.
However, Presidents Évariste Ndayishimiye and Félix Tshisekedi have confirmed a bilateral security cooperation agreement permitting Burundian forces to operate on Congolese soil. It is understood that over 29,000 Burundian soldiers were deployed to eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025.
Amidst heightened security tensions, the Burundian army recently carried out new redeployments in the region. This follows the withdrawal of AFC-M23 rebels from the strategic city of Uvira, located near Goma and vital routes connecting eastern Congo to Burundi. Uvira had been under rebel occupation for nearly a month between December 2025 and January 2026 before their retreat.
More recently, local sources also report that AFC-M23 elements withdrew from certain positions in the Rusizi plain, reportedly under international pressure, particularly from the United States and other partners engaged in regional de-escalation efforts.
AFC-M23 and Twirwaneho at the heart of the conflict
The March 23 Movement (M23) stands as a primary component of the Alliance Fleuve Congo–M23 (AFC-M23) politico-military coalition, led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
Within the high plateaus of South Kivu, this coalition significantly relies on the Twirwaneho armed movement, which is predominantly comprised of Banyamulenge youth.
Congolese authorities consistently accuse Rwanda of backing the AFC-M23 and its allies, allegations Kigali consistently denies. Rwanda, in turn, accuses Kinshasa of collaborating with the FDLR, an armed group formed by former Hutu officials implicated in the 1994 Tutsi genocide.
Burundi also accuses Rwanda of supporting armed groups operating against its territory and harboring ambitions for influence in eastern DRC. Kigali likewise rejects these accusations, while reproaching Gitega for alleged collaboration with the FDLR and other armed groups active in the region.
In this climate of persistent tensions, the M23/AFC, a predominantly Tutsi movement that resumed hostilities in late 2021 after alleging Kinshasa failed to honor its reintegration commitments, now controls or influences several strategic areas across North and South Kivu, including key economic corridors and localities.
A region perpetually unstable
Despite numerous regional agreements and diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalating the crisis in eastern DRC, clashes persist on the ground with no immediate prospect of lasting peace.
The high plateaus of Fizi thus remain one of the most volatile flashpoints in the Great Lakes region, where intricate local rivalries are intertwined with broader tensions between Kigali, Kinshasa, and Gitega.
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Archival photo: Local militias attacking M23 in Bashali, while various armed groups clash in Minembwe, amidst high tensions in eastern DRC.
