Bukavu : clashes between the Wazalendo and the FARDC, panicking the population

SOS Médias Burundi

Bukavu, May 2, 2025 – Fighting broke out on Thursday between the Congolese army and Wazalendo militias in the heights of Uvira, South Kivu. The exchange of fire caused panic among the local population. These clashes are part of a climate of growing tensions between the two sides, even though these armed groups are officially supported by the Congolese authorities in their fight against the M23.

Violent clashes erupted Thursday in the Uvira territory between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and Wazalendo fighters, local militias trained and maintained by the Congolese authorities. The fighting, concentrated in the Kasenga and Kavimvira hills, sowed panic among the population and paralyzed several economic activities.

According to local sources and testimonies gathered in Kavimvira, the hostilities were triggered by the FARDC’s attempt to erect new positions in Kituntu, a town located about ten kilometers from the city of Uvira. This initiative was perceived as a provocation by the Wazalendo.

“The FARDC did not fight the M23 in Kamanyola, Nyangezi, Bukavu, or Goma. Now they want to attack us, the Wazalendo,” said one member of the armed group, speaking anonymously.

Detonations, including shell explosions, were heard throughout the day in the Kasenga and Kakombe mountains, heightening the residents’ anxiety. Several of them fled the area to seek refuge in the outlying neighborhoods of the city of Uvira, in eastern Congo, not far from the border with Burundi.

Despite our requests, no official response has yet been received from the local FARDC command.

This resurgence of tensions comes a week after similar clashes in the villages of Kijaga and Kirungwa. However, the provincial administration of South Kivu continues to publicly deny the existence of fighting between the two forces in the Uvira region.

The civil society strongly condemns this repeated violence. It calls on the protagonists to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue.

Independent observers express serious concerns about a possible escalation. Some of them accuse the Wazalendo of carrying out uncontrolled activities in the region.

“The Wazalendo illegally collect taxes at ports, customs posts, and even on the roads. Many of them travel armed and in military uniform. Last February, several deserting soldiers joined their ranks in the Ruzizi plain and in Uvira,” explains an analyst based there.

This new outbreak of violence comes as the M23 recently took control of several positions in the center of Kaziba (Walungu territory), forcing the FARDC, Burundian troops, and the Wazalendo to retreat.

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A checkpoint for MONUSCO peacekeepers in Uvira, South Kivu ©️ SOS Médias Burundi