South Kivu: Renewed Violence as FDLR and CNRD Intensify Attacks on Civilians

The FDLR and CNRD, two armed groups opposed to the Rwandan government, are reported to have intensified attacks on civilians in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to several regional sources.

In a statement released by Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the AFC/M23 coalition currently fighting the Congolese army, the groups-alongside the FARDC, the Burundian army, the Wazalendo militias, and the Cancuro-have launched military operations since November 19, 2025, in several densely populated areas of the province.

On the evening of November 21, Sukhoi fighter jets conducted airstrikes on Mikenke and Rwitsankuku, near the Banyamulenge refugee camp, around 7:00 p.m. Kanyuka accused the coalition forces of using warplanes, drones, and long-range artillery, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread displacement.

The AFC/M23 leadership warned that the escalation represents a serious setback to the progress made on November 15, when the movement and the DRC government signed the Basic Principles, a framework intended to pave the way toward lasting peace.

Despite the ongoing clashes, the alliance stated that it would continue to “protect civilians and defend them” as confrontations escalate across South Kivu.