FARDC Repels AFC/M23 Attack on Strategic Nkobe Hill Near Pinga

Walikale, North Kivu - January 24, 2026 - The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) have successfully repelled a renewed AFC/M23 rebel attack on Nkobe Hill, a strategic position overlooking the town of Pinga in Walikale territory. According to the administrative secretary of the Kisimba group, the rebels have launched repeated attempts in recent days to breach security defenses and penetrate Pinga, but without success. On Friday, January 23, AFC/M23 fighters reportedly tried to outflank positions held by the FARDC and the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) at Nkobe Hill, which overlooks the village of Munsanga. The assault was met with a strong response from loyalist forces, forcing the attackers to retreat toward Buhaya, near Mpety, in the Banakindi area, considered the rebels’ main stronghold in the Pinga region. A fragile calm was observed on Saturday, with Nkobe Hill remaining firmly under the control of the FARDC. The human and material toll of the clashes was not immediately available at the time of publication.