AFC/M23 Denies Rumors of Withdrawal from Bukavu

Bukavu, March 22, 2026 - The rebel coalition AFC/M23 has dismissed circulating reports claiming it plans to leave the city of Bukavu, calling them fabricated and politically motivated.

The rumors, widely shared on social media, cited a statement from Bertrand Bisimwa, the coalition’s Deputy Director for Political Affairs, suggesting that the group intended to withdraw from Bukavu to pave the way for lasting peace.

Responding on March 21, AFC/M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka described the statement as false, alleging it was circulated by the Democratic Republic of Congo government to divert attention from a recent attack in Goma.

Kanyuka emphasized that no false narrative could erase the memory of the March 11, 2026, attack in which French national Karine Buisset, employed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), was killed.

AFC/M23 seized control of Bukavu in February 2025. Speculation about a potential withdrawal has grown since the coalition pulled out of Uvira in January 2026, but the group insists its position in Bukavu remains unchanged.