Uvira Falls to AFC/M23 After Intense Fighting

Uvira, South Kivu, - The city of Uvira has fallen to the AFC/M23 coalition, following heavy clashes with combined forces of the DRC, Burundi, Wazalendo, and FDLR. On the evening of December 9, 2025, AFC/M23 fighters entered the city, marking a significant shift in control.

Uvira lies 22 kilometers by air from Bujumbura and is near Merchior Ndadaye Airport, a strategic route previously used by Burundian troops to enter South and North Kivu in support of FARDC operations.

Witnesses reported that Burundian soldiers fled to their homeland, while others were killed in the fighting. Many local leaders went into hiding, reflecting the scale of the displacement and fear among the city’s authorities.

The fall followed AFC/M23’s capture of surrounding areas, including Katogota, Rurambo, Luberizi, Luvungi, Mutalule, Bwegera, Nyakabere, Sange, Runingo, and Kiliba. By 9:15 PM, FARDC and Burundian troops began fleeing en masse as the fighters approached within a few kilometers of Uvira.

In a press briefing on December 9, AFC/M23 Coordinator Corneille Nangaa assured residents that the coalition aims to restore security, stating:

“The population has been abandoned, so what can we do? We are protecting the population and we cannot allow this chaos and fear to continue. We must unite to bring security.”

Politician Moïse Nyarugabo, a former DRC parliamentarian, urged citizens not to flee, emphasizing that the incoming forces are there to provide safety, not to harm civilians.

This development highlights the rapid territorial gains of AFC/M23 since the Rusizi Valley battle began last week, significantly altering the security dynamics in South Kivu province.