AFC/M23 Launches Counter-Offensive in Kazinga Amid Ongoing Clashes

MASISI, North Kivu February 25, 2026 - Clashes resumed early Wednesday afternoon, February 25, in the village of Kazinga, located in the Nyamaboko 1 group (Masisi territory), as AFC/M23 rebels launched a counter-offensive to try to recapture the town after being expelled earlier in the day by government forces and Wazalendo fighters. Local sources report that the rebels simultaneously attacked multiple positions inside and around Kazinga, quickly intensifying the exchange of fire and plunging residents into renewed fear. The sounds of heavy and light weapons fire were reportedly heard for several kilometers. Kazinga, situated in the Butsike area, has become a major theater of fighting in the southern part of Masisi territory, with front lines shifting rapidly and villages changing hands between government-allied forces and AFC/M23 rebels in recent days. The AFC/M23 counter-offensive comes amid escalating clashes in neighboring localities, following the loss of other strategic rebel positions. Residents describe a fluid and chaotic situation, as fighting continued into the late afternoon, heightening fears of a further deterioration of security in this part of Masisi territory.