Local Chief and Wife Killed in Rebel-Controlled Area

Kanyabayonga, Rutshuru January 22, 2026 - A local chief and his wife were killed by unidentified armed men on the evening of Wednesday, January 21, in the Kanyabayonga group of the Bwito chiefdom, Rutshuru territory, North Kivu, an area currently under AFC/M23 control. The victims, Muhindo Mungumwa Claude and his spouse, were attacked around 11:00 p.m., when assailants stormed their residence and opened fire, local community leaders reported. The bodies were discovered in the early hours of Thursday, January 22. One of their children also remains missing. Muhindo Mungumwa Claude had been appointed as head of the Kanyabayonga group by the AFC/M23, which controls the region. He was a well-known figure in the Kanyabayonga-Bwito community, previously serving as secretary to the former chief of the Lukira Pandasi community, now based in Beni. Local leaders condemned the assassination and demanded explanations from the rebel authorities. This incident echoes a similar attack in October in Buramba, where Chief Maliro was killed by unidentified gunmen who broke into his home around midnight and stabbed him to death, according to local accounts. The killing of Chief Mungumwa and his wife highlights the persistent insecurity in rebel-held areas of North Kivu and the targeting of community leaders, further destabilizing local governance structures.