AFC/M23 Reaches Lemera, Symbolic Village in the Uvira Highlands

Lemera DRC, January 16, 2026 - Despite calls for a ceasefire between government forces and the AFC/M23 rebellion in North and South Kivu, military operations continue on the ground. In this context, AFC/M23 rebels entered Lemera, in the Bafuliro chiefdom, Uvira territory highlands, South Kivu, on Thursday, January 15.

Rebel columns were observed early in the morning, following violent clashes with the Wazalendo (local inhabitants) in this strategic village.

According to local sources, the rebels advanced through several villages, including Kaziba, Langala, and Rubanga, to reach Lemera. “The rebels crossed Langala and Rubanga before splitting into two groups. One headed towards Kidote and the other towards Nakandongo,” a civil society source reported. This account is corroborated by multiple sources in the region.

Lemera, located about 30 kilometers from Bwegera, just beyond Luvungi off National Route 5 (RN5), lies along a corridor that passes through Kiringye, Namutiri, Rubanga, Bwesho, and Kidote.

The village holds strong symbolic importance in Uvira territory, as it once hosted the AFDL rebellion’s military training center. For many observers, the capture of Lemera could open the way toward Mulenge and Katala, in the Uvira highlands.

Lemera is also significant for having hosted the original site of Panzi Hospital, where Dr. Denis Mukwege, 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, served as medical director in 1996.