Wazalendo Retake Malemo Village After Fierce Fighting Against AFC/M23

Masisi, North Kivu March 16, 2026 - The village of Malemo, in the Bashali Mokoto group, was recaptured by the Wazalendo on Saturday, March 14, following fierce fighting against AFC/M23 rebels. Clashes began early in the morning and continued throughout the day along the Kalembe-Mpety axis, a strategic corridor linking Masisi to Walikale territory. By early evening, Wazalendo forces succeeded in dislodging the rebels from the village. Some AFC/M23 fighters retreated toward Kalembe, while others moved to Mindjendje and Mpety in Kisimba. The recapture of Malemo is strategically significant, as it severs the link between Kalembe and Mpety, one of the main strongholds and logistical centers of the AFC/M23 in the Pinga region. These clashes follow intense fighting reported 24 hours earlier in Kashuga, also in Bashali Mokoto, where the Wazalendo withdrew, leaving control to the AFC/M23 rebels. The security situation remains highly volatile across several villages in Masisi and Walikale, with ongoing troop movements and clashes fueling civilian anxiety.