AFC/M23 Rebels Retake Kazinga

Masisi, March 8, 2026 - MASISI, North Kivu March 3, 2026 - The village of Kazinga, in the Nyamaboko 1st group of Masisi territory, fell back under the control of AFC/M23 rebels on Tuesday afternoon following fierce clashes with the FARDC and the Wazalendo local militia.

This recapture comes roughly two weeks after government forces had taken the village. Local sources report that AFC/M23 fighters, mainly from the Ndete and Kasopo axes, launched an offensive early Tuesday morning. Exchanges of fire, including heavy weapons, continued throughout the morning.

Kazinga occupies a strategic location in the Osso Banyungu sector, serving as a corridor to Buhimba (Waloa Yungu group, Walikale territory) and the Katoy sector in southern Masisi. With this advance, the rebels are consolidating control over a triangle linking Buhimba, Katoy, and Kazinga, strengthening their capacity to project force into surrounding groups, including Waloa Yungu, Waloa Uroba, and Waloa Loanda in Walikale territory.

The recapture highlights the persistent fragility of security in this part of North Kivu, which has seen a succession of attacks, counter-offensives, and population displacements in recent weeks. Humanitarian concerns continue to mount as civilians face ongoing insecurity amid this renewed escalation of fighting.