Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: January 28, 2026, at 1 P.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: The Congolese government and M23 are expected to return to Qatar to resume peace talks soon. M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in the Fizi highlands in South Kivu. M23 attacked pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters near the front line in Lubero district in North Kivu. The African Union facilitators are expected to begin their tour of the Great Lakes region soon.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

Nothing significant to report.  

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

M23 attacked pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters near the front line in Lubero district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Okapi reported that M23 attacked a Wazalendo position in Mighende village, near the shoreline of Lake Edward—about 13 and 30 miles east of Kipese village and Lubero town on local roads, respectively—on January 26.[i] Radio Okapi reported that the two sides first clashed in this area in Vukendo village, about six miles south of Mighende, as early as January 25.[ii] The last reported kinetic activity between M23 and pro-Congolese government forces in Lubero was January 18, when a Congolese army (FARDC) drone reportedly attacked M23 in two villages near Kipese.[iii]

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in the Fizi highlands in South Kivu. M23-aligned Twirwaneho militia fighters reportedly seized control of three remote villages in the Basilocha group in the Tanganyika sector in Fizi after two days of clashes on January 27.[iv] CTP is unable to verify the location of the villages. The Tanganyika sector in Fizi is located east of Minembwe town, roughly between the RP527 and Mboko town on the RN5. The FARDC and Wazalendo fighters reportedly tried to recapture the villages from Twirwaneho in an offensive on January 28.[v] The FARDC and Wazalendo forces also reportedly conducted attacks to recapture Point Zéro in Tanganyika—about 16 miles east of Minembwe on a local road, which they have tried on several occasions to retake since Twirwaneho captured it on January 16.[vi] M23-aligned independent journalist Héritier Munyampfura reported on January 28 that FARDC special forces are participating in the offensive against Twirwaneho on Point Zéro and surrounding villages.[vii]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near the RP1030 in Masisi district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near Kashuga village on the RP1030 in Masisi on January 28.[viii] Kashuga is about six miles north of Mweso on the RP1030. M23 has repelled numerous Wazalendo attacks on the RP1030 in Masisi in January, including in Pilote and Bukama villages—about four miles and one mile north of Mweso on the RP1030, respectively—on January 19.[ix] Wazalendo fighters regularly attack M23 along the RP1030 to try to disrupt the rebels’ supply lines and dislodge them from their positions.

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

The Congolese government and M23 are expected to return to Qatar to resume peace talks soon. Qatar has reportedly sent official invitations for delegations from the DRC and M23 to reconvene talks in Doha, the Qatari capital.[x] The two sides had signed a peace framework agreement in mid-November 2025 but did not formally resume discussions.[xi] The French magazine Jeune Afrique cited sources close to Qatar and the DRC and M23 on January 28 who confirmed that the delegations are expected to arrive in Doha between January 31 and February 1.[xii] The magazine reported that the current scope of Qatar’s effort in restarting the talks is limited, mainly focusing on resuming dialogue and implementing the October 14 ceasefire verification agreement, with no immediate plans to discuss the six additional pillars of the framework agreement.[xiii]

The African Union (AU) facilitators are expected to begin their tour of the Great Lakes region soon. French media reported that the AU mediators will visit the Congolese and Rwandan capitals for discussions with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the end of January.[xiv] Jeune Afrique reported that the delegation will then visit the Ugandan capital and Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, before traveling to M23-controlled Goma in early February.[xv] French state media reported previously that the delegation aims to complete its regional tour before the AU heads of state summit in mid-February, when the facilitators will meet with outgoing AU chairperson Angolan President João Lourenço and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the incoming chairperson.[xvi] Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, the AU mediator for the eastern DRC file, is expected to present a report on his mediation efforts during the AU summit.[xvii] Gnassingbé had hosted the five AU co-facilitators, foreign ministers from several countries, and representatives from regional and international bodies for a high-level conference on the AU effort on January 17.[xviii]

Data Cutoff: January 26, 2026, at 1 P.M. EST

To receive the Africa File and Congo War Security Review via email, please subscribe here.  

Follow CTP on X, LinkedIn, and BlueSky for daily updates.  

Read CTP’s latest analysis on the war in the eastern DRC in the weekly Africa File here.    

Key Takeaway: The Congolese army (FARDC) conducted drone strikes on M23 along the RP1030 in Walikale district in North Kivu. M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with the FARDC and allied forces in Fizi district in South Kivu. Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 in Rutshuru district in North Kivu.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that fighting broke out when Wazalendo fighters attacked an M23 patrol near Kinyankuku village in the Bukombo group in Bwito chiefdom in Rutshuru on January 26.[i] CTP is unable to verify the precise location of Kinyankuku. The Bukombo group is in southwestern Bwito, roughly 10 miles east of Kitchanga town on the RP1030. M23 clashes regularly with Wazalendo fighters in Bukombo, where the group conducts frequent counterinsurgency operations against anti-M23 militia fighters. M23 had last clashed with Wazalendo fighters in several localities in Bukombo in mid-January.[ii]

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

Nothing significant to report.  

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with the Congolese army (FARDC) and allied forces in Fizi district in South Kivu. M23-aligned Twirwaneho fighters reportedly clashed with the FARDC and allied forces in Rugezi village, about 20 miles south of Minembwe town in the Lulenge sector, and in the Mutambala sector in the mountains west of Baraka town on the RN5 on January 23 and 26.[iii] The Mutambala sector roughly encompasses the area between Baraka on the RN5 and the intersection of the RP527 and RN5 roads near Fizi town. Twirwaneho accused pro-Congolese government forces of attacking its positions in Rugezi and conducting drone strikes in unspecified areas and the Burundian army of deploying additional troops to the Mutambala sector in a statement on January 24.[iv] Pro-M23 sources reported that the FARDC and allied forces launched attacks to recapture Point Zéro—north of Mutambala, about 16 miles east of Minembwe on a local road—between January 23 and 26 but failed to retake the area.[v] Twirwaneho had reportedly captured Point Zéro on January 16.[vi]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

The FARDC conducted drone strikes on M23 along the RP1030 in Walikale district in North Kivu. An FARDC attack drone reportedly targeted M23 positions in Mpeti and Minjenje villages on the RP1030 in the Kisimba group in Walikale on January 24.[vii] Mpeti is M23’s forward position on the RP1030 and a key supply and logistic point about 12 miles east of Pinga town. Minjenje is also an important logistic hub for M23 in Kisimba. The Kisimba group is located in a remote area in Walikale about six miles north of Kalembe and 10 miles east of Pinga. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that the FARDC repelled an M23 attack in a remote village that lies on a forested route between the northern part of Kisimba and Pinga town, pushing the rebels back toward Mpeti, on January 23.[viii]

The FARDC has conducted several drone strikes on M23 positions near the border between Masisi, Rutshuru, and Walikale districts since last week. The FARDC bombed an M23 camp in Buleusa village in the Ikobo group in Walikale, roughly 11 miles northeast of Pinga on a forested route, on January 23.[ix] An FARDC attack drone reportedly bombed an M23 position near Kikuku village in the Bwito chiefdom in Rutshuru on January 23.[x] Kikuku is east of Kisimba near the border with Walikale, about six miles north of Nyanzale on the RP1030. An FARDC attack drone had conducted an airstrike on M23 near Buleusa in Rusamambu village on the border between the Kisimba and Ikobo groups on January 19.[xi]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

Nothing significant to report.

Data Cutoff: January 23, 2026, at 1 P.M. EST

To receive the Africa File and Congo War Security Review via email, please subscribe here.  

Follow CTP on X, LinkedIn, and BlueSky for daily updates.  

Read CTP’s latest analysis on the war in the eastern DRC in the weekly Africa File here.    

Key Takeaway: M23 clashed with pro-Congolese government forces and the Congolese army conducted airstrikes on M23 in Walikale district in North Kivu.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas

Nothing significant to report.

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

Nothing significant to report.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

Nothing significant to report.  

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

M23 clashed with pro-Congolese government forces and the Congolese army (FARDC) conducted airstrikes on M23 in Walikale district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that M23 attacked the FARDC and Wazalendo fighters in Buma village in the Kisimba group in Walikale on January 23.[i] CTP is unable to verify the precise location of Buma. The Kisimba group is located in a remote area about six miles north of Kalembe on the RP1030 in Masisi district and 10 miles east of Pinga, a military and logistic hub. M23 had previously attacked the FARDC and Wazalendo fighters in two villages in the Kisimba group, including Mpombi— two miles north of Mpeti, M23’s forward position on the RP1030—on January 21.[ii] The FARDC conducted a drone strike on an M23 camp in Buleusa village in the Ikobo group in Walikale on January 23.[iii] Buleusa is an important administrative village in Ikobo, located roughly 11 miles northeast of Pinga on a forested route. An FARDC attack drone had conducted a previous airstrike on M23 near Buleusa in Rusamambu on the border between the Kisimba and Ikobo groups on January 19.[iv] An FARDC attack drone reportedly bombed an M23 position near Kikuku village in the Bwito chiefdom in Rutshuru on January 23.[v] Kikuku is east of Kisimba, about six miles north of Nyanzale on the RP1030.

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments 

Nothing significant to report.