AFC/M23 Rebels Driven Out of Mahanga Village Amid Renewed Fighting

MASISI, North Kivu February 25, 2026 - Violent clashes erupted on Tuesday morning, February 24, between AFC/M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by Wazalendo fighters, in Mahanga village, located in the Butsike area of the Nyamaboko I group, Masisi territory. Government forces reportedly advanced from Buhimba in neighboring Walikale territory, targeting rebel positions in Mahanga. After a brief but intense exchange of gunfire, AFC/M23 fighters were driven out of the village, retreating into the surrounding bush in this part of the Osso Banyungu chiefdom. The offensive triggered population movements, with several families fleeing Mahanga to seek refuge in the nearby bush, fearing renewed clashes. Local observers noted that the situation remains highly volatile, as the different armed factions continue to reposition themselves in this part of Masisi territory, an area regularly affected by conflict and instability. These developments underscore the persistent fragility of security in rural North Kivu, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of ongoing armed rivalries.

Faits rapportés

MASISI, North Kivu February 25, 2026 - Violent clashes erupted on Tuesday morning, February 24, between AFC/M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by Wazalendo fighters, in Mahanga village, located in the Butsike area of the Nyamaboko I group, Masisi territory. Government forces reportedly advanced from Buhimba in neighboring Walikale territory, targeting rebel positions in Mahanga. After a brief but intense exchange of gunfire, AFC/M23 fighters were driven out of the village, retreating into the surrounding bush in this part of the Osso Banyungu chiefdom. The offensive triggered population movements, with several families fleeing Mahanga to seek refuge in the nearby bush, fearing renewed clashes. Local observers noted that the situation remains highly volatile, as the different armed factions continue to reposition themselves in this part of Masisi territory, an area regularly affected by conflict and instability. These developments underscore the persistent fragility of security in rural North Kivu, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of ongoing armed rivalries.