MSF Responds to Surge in Wounded Amid Escalating Violence

Nyanzale, Rutshuru January 23, 2026 - Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has raised the alarm over an influx of wounded in Nyanzale, following intensified clashes between AFC/M23 rebels and Wazalendo militias, part of the Collective of Movements for Change (CMC), in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu. Since January 20, MSF teams have been supporting the Nyanzale health center, providing medical and logistical assistance to 32 people injured by bullets and shrapnel, most of them civilians. According to patient testimonies, the wounded began arriving on January 19 after an attack by Wazalendo militiamen. Civilians performing community work, locally called “salogo,” were caught in the crossfire. Several homes were reported burned during the violence. MSF is also carrying out humanitarian support, including the construction of toilets, distribution of drinking water, and health promotion in vulnerable areas. The organization warns that the affected population is living in precarious conditions, with limited access to hygiene, adequate shelter, food, and basic necessities. The security situation in Nyanzale remains tense. Fighting resumed Sunday afternoon, January 19, after a brief lull, with intense crossfire reported throughout the area. Civilians who had recently returned from displacement barricaded themselves in their homes for safety. The Wazalendo faction of the CMC denounced a bomb attack on January 18 that struck several localities, including Nyarubande, Burambo, Muhanga, the center of Kihondo, and Kiyeye, and vowed swift retaliation. Further clashes were reported near Katsiru. The provisional toll from the violence includes two civilians killed in Kihondo-a man and a woman-and ten houses burned in Nyarubande, Bwito chiefdom. The situation underscores the persistent vulnerability of civilians in North Kivu amid ongoing armed clashes, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and protection.