FARDC repels AFC/M23 incursion near Mungazi

Walikale, March 24, 2026 - The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), backed by Wazalendo fighters, repelled an attempted incursion by AFC/M23 rebels near Mungazi in Walikale territory, North Kivu. According to local security and administrative sources, the rebels attempted to advance through the Usuka River corridor, using forest routes to bypass army positions and carry out a surprise attack on the town of Mungazi, located in the Luberike grouping and currently under government control. The operation was intercepted by a joint FARDC-Wazalendo patrol in the surrounding forest, triggering intense exchanges of gunfire that caused panic among residents. Following a counteroffensive, government forces managed to push the attackers back toward their initial positions near Kibati. By Tuesday, calm had largely returned to Mungazi and nearby areas, with daily activities gradually resuming. FARDC and allied fighters remain deployed in the area, maintaining a heightened state of alert as the broader security situation in Walikale continues to be volatile.