South Kivu : the front line flares up, violent clashes erupt between FARDC, Burundian soldiers, and Wazalendo militias against the AFC/M23-Twirwaneho

SOS Médias Burundi

Uvira, August 31, 2026—Fighting has been reported since Sunday in several areas of the Fizi, Uvira, and Mwenga territories in South Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The clashes pit the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), supported by the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) and the Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias, against fighters from the AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho.

Several localities affected

In the Uvira territory, clashes have reportedly taken place in Malimba, Rubarati, and Ruhuha. Local sources report the use of drones and heavy weapons by forces fighting alongside the FARDC.

A fighter from the Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias, present in the Malimba area, claims that the FARDC, the FDNB, and the Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias have retaken several positions previously held by AFC/M23, Twirwaneho, and Red Tabara fighters in Malimba, Ruhuha, and Rubarati.

“The FARDC, the FDNB, and the Wazalendo have retaken the positions of the M23, Twirwaneho, and Red Tabara that were in Malimba, Ruhuha, and Rubarati,” this fighter claims.

This information could not be independently verified.

Twirwaneho claims to have repelled pro-Kinshasa forces

For his part, Twirwaneho spokesperson Fidèle Rugabo claims that his fighters repelled several attacks carried out by the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), the FDNB (National Defense Forces of Burundi), the Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa, and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda).

In a message posted on the social media X, he specifically mentions Kabanju, Kipupu, Nyamabuguma, and Point Zéro, in the territories of Fizi and Mwenga.

According to the same source, the forces fighting alongside Kinshasa then retreated towards Mulima, Lulenge, Kiseke, and Kitumba.

These claims could not be independently verified.

Minembwe at the heart of military issues

The Minembwe region, in the highlands of South Kivu, remains at the heart of military issues.

According to several analyses of the security situation, the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), the FDNB (National Defense Forces of Burundi), and the Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa are attempting to retake positions around Minembwe in order to limit a potential advance by the AFC/M23 (Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23) towards Tanganyika province.

The operations are also targeting Bijombo, with the objective of halting the advance of AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho fighters towards Uvira and controlling the axis linking Rurambo, Bijombo, and Minembwe.

More than 29,000 Burundian soldiers have been deployed in the DRC.

These clashes also highlight Burundi’s military involvement in the Congolese conflict.

According to an internal report from the Congolese Ministry of the Interior and Security, consulted by SOS Médias Burundi in December 2025, more than 29,000 Burundian soldiers were deployed in the DRC between August 2022 and December 2025.

These soldiers fought alongside the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the Wazalendo militias, supported by Kinshasa, against the M23 in several areas of eastern DRC.

At the end of 2025, approximately 10,000 Burundian soldiers were still present in eastern Congo, according to the same document.

The AFC/M23 and its demands

The Congo River Alliance (AFC), a political coalition of which the M23 is the main armed component, is led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the DRC’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). The movement claims to be fighting against discrimination and violence, particularly against the Congolese Tutsi population.

It calls for direct dialogue with Kinshasa, political and security reforms, and the resolution of the “root causes” of the conflicts in eastern DRC. The AFC/M23 also advocates for the establishment of a federal state in the DRC.

A war that has become regional

The conflict in eastern DRC now extends far beyond Congo’s borders.

The AFC/M23, which controls vast territories in North and South Kivu, including Goma and Bukavu, is at the heart of this confrontation. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the movement, an accusation Kigali regularly denies.

Rwanda, for its part, accuses the DRC and Burundi of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a predominantly Hutu Rwandan armed group active in eastern DRC, some of whose members are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. Kigali denounces their presence in the region, while Kinshasa and Gitega reject these accusations.

The conflict also involves the Wazalendo militias, supported by Kinshasa, as well as Twirwaneho, an armed group composed largely of young fighters from the Banyamulenge minority, active in the highlands of South Kivu.

Crossed accusations

Despite repeated denials from Kigali, reports by United Nations experts have indicated alleged Rwandan support for the M23. The UN has also documented the collaboration of the FDLR with the FARDC and their allies, including the Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa and the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB).

Civilians still caught in the crossfire

The escalating fighting in the territories of Fizi, Uvira, and Mwenga raises fears of a new wave of population displacement.

In several areas of the highlands, residents are fleeing their villages as the clashes draw closer. This violence is exacerbating an already deep humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, where millions of people have been displaced by the conflict.

While diplomatic efforts continue to try to end the war, the fighting continues in the highlands of South Kivu.

The battle for control of Minembwe, Bijombo, Fizi, and the main roads linking the highlands to Uvira could thus become one of the next major flashpoints between pro-Kinshasa forces and the AFC/M23-Twirwaneho.