Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: November 19, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST   

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Key Takeaway: M23 clashed with pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters in several areas in Walungu district in South Kivu. M23 captured several villages south of Masisi town in North Kivu. M23 reportedly clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Lubero district in North Kivu. M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near the RN2 in Kabare district in South Kivu.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas     

Nothing significant to report.   

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia   

M23 reportedly clashed with pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters in Lubero district in North Kivu. Independent Congolese journalist Daniel Michombero reported on social media that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in the Baswagha chiefdom in Lubero district on November 19.[i] CTP is unable to verify the precise location of the clashes. The Baswagha chiefdom comprises areas around Lubero town where the frontlines are between M23 and pro-Congolese government forces and the Ugandan army. The last reported clash in Baswagha was in late October when Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 positions.[ii]

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie 

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near the RN2 in Kabare district in South Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Maendeleo reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendos in at least three villages, including Tshivanga— about five miles west of the Kavumu airport—on the edge of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park near the RN2 in Kabare on November 17.[iii] M23 had attacked Wazalendos in Kahuzi-Biega and reportedly killed a senior Wazalendo commander near Katana village on the RN2 on November 16.[iv]

Pro-Congolese government forces reportedly captured several villages from M23-aligned militia fighters in the Uvira highlands in South Kivu. Michombero reported on social media that pro-Congolese government forces captured three villages, including Kanono, from M23-aligned Twirwaneho fighters in the Bavira chiefdom in Uvira district on November 19.[v] Kanono is in an isolated area about 20 miles southwest of Uvira town. Twirwaneho fighters lasted clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Bavira on November 14.[vi]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani   

Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 positions on the RP1030 in Masisi district in North Kivu. Congolese media reported that Wazalendos attacked M23 near Kalembe village on the RP1030 in Masisi on November 18.[vii] Kalembe is about 21 miles north of Kitchanga on the RP1030. Wazalendo fighters have attacked M23 positions repeatedly in several areas along the RP1030 in mid-November.

M23 captured several villages south of Masisi town. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that M23 clashed with the Congolese army and Wazalendo fighters and captured two villages in the Osso Banyungu sector on November 18 and 19.[viii] CTP is unable to verify the precise location of the captured villages. The Osso Banyungu sector is roughly 15 miles south of Masisi town. M23 has clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in Osso Banyungu on several occasions in mid-November. The group had captured Kazinga village on November 14 and reportedly began advancing on several villages in Osso Banyungu.[ix]

M23 captured a village in southern Masisi district. M23 reportedly captured Katoyi village from Wazalendo fighters on November 18.[x] Katoyi is in a remote area about 22 miles southwest of Rubaya on local roads.

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu   

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in several areas in Walungu district in South Kivu. Wazalendo fighters reportedly ambushed an M23 convoy in Mugogo village, eight miles southwest of Bukavu along the RN2, in Walungu on November 19.[xi] M23 reportedly clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Walungu town, six miles further southwest from Mugogo village along the RN2, on November 19.[xii] M23 reportedly clashed with Wazalendos six miles west of Walungu town on a local road in Kaniola village on November 19.[xiii] The Congolese media outlet Tazama RDC reported on social media that M23 attacked Wazalendo positions in a remote village in the Luhago group in the Nindja chiefdom in southern Kabare district on November 19.[xiv] The Luhago group is in a remote area roughly eight miles north of Nzibira in Walungu on a local road.

Major Political Developments   

Nothing significant to report.

Data Cutoff: November 17, 2025, 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 government and M23 signed the Qatari-brokered peace framework agreement. M23 captured its first village in Shabunda district on the RP503 in South Kivu. Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters conducted attacks on M23 on the RP1030 in Masisi district in North Kivu. M23 attacked Wazalendo fighters near the RN2 in Kabare district in South 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

M23 attacked pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters near the RN2 in Kabare district in South Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Okapi reported that M23 targeted a Wazalendo position in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park near the RN2 in Kabare around November 16.[i] M23 reportedly killed a senior Wazalendo commander near Katana village on the RN2 on November 16.[ii] M23 had previously attacked Wazalendo fighters in several villages on the edge of the Kahuzi-Biega on November 13.[iii]

Pro-Congolese government forces bombed M23-aligned militia positions on the RP527 in South Kivu. Pro-Congolese government forces reportedly conducted drone strikes on M23-aligned Twirwaneho positions near two villages on the RP527, including Mikenge—about 15 miles north of Minembwe town—on November 15 and 17.[iv] Independent journalist Steve Wembi reported on social media on November 15 that the drone that launched an attack deployed from Burundi.[v] Local sources said that the strikes damaged private property but did not result in any casualties.[vi]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

Wazalendo fighters blocked an M23 advance southwest of Masisi town in North Kivu. M23 reportedly advanced from Kazinga, which it had captured on November 14, and clashed with Wazalendos in several nearby villages on November 15.[vii] CTP is unable to locate the villages. The Congolese media outlet Acualite.cd reported that Wazalendo fighters then repelled an M23 attack on Bitoi village, about five miles northwest of Kazinga on a local road, on November 16.[viii]

Wazalendo fighters conducted attacks on M23 on the RP1030 in Masisi district. Congolese media sources reported that M23 repelled a Wazalendo attack in Kashuga village on the RP1030 in Masisi on November 14.[ix] Kashuga is about six miles north of Mweso on the RP1030. Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendos then launched attacks on M23 on November 15 and dislodged the rebel group from two villages near Kashuga, including Kashanje, on November 16.[x]

Wazalendos attacked M23 in a remote area north of the RP1030 in Walikale district in North Kivu. Wazalendo fighters reportedly attacked M23 in Bukumbirwa village in the Ikobo group in the Kisimba-Ikobo Primate Reserve in Walikale on November 15.[xi]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

M23 captured its first village in Shabunda district on the RP503 in South Kivu. M23 reportedly attacked Wazalendo positions and captured Mayimingi village on the RP503 in Shabunda on November 16, marking the group’s first confirmed capture in Shabunda.[xii] Mayimingi is about 20 miles west of Nzibira on the RP503. Radio Okapi reported that the attack on Mayimingi caused thousands of civilians to flee the area.[xiii] Pro-Congolese government forces reportedly retreated about ten miles west of Mayimingi on the RP503 to Kimbili.[xiv] The Congolese media outlet Tazama RDC reported on social media that clashes resumed between M23 and Wazalendo fighters around Mayimingi on November 17.[xv] Tazama RDC reported separately that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Chulwe, about 12 miles west of Nzibira, on November 17.[xvi] The outlet cited local sources who claimed that Wazalendo fighters killed an M23 commander and more than 50 rebel fighters in Chulwe.[xvii]

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in northern Mwenga district in South Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Maendeleo reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in two village groups in the Burhinyi chiefdom, including the Ntondo group, from November 12 to 14.[xviii] The Ntondo group is in a remote area roughly 20 miles west of the Twangiza industrial gold mine on a local road. M23 last clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Burhinyi in late October.[xix]

Major Political Developments

The Congolese government and M23 signed the Qatari-brokered peace framework agreement. Representatives from the Congolese government and M23 signed the framework agreement in Doha, the Qatari capital, on November 15.[xx] The Congolese and Rwandan governments welcomed the signing in separate statements.[xxi] Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s Africa adviser, and the Qatari mediation team characterized the framework as an important step to peace efforts.[xxii] Several senior European officials, including French President Emmanuel Macron, also welcomed the signing on social media.[xxiii]

The agreement contains a commitment to end the war in the eastern DRC through several guiding principles and eight separate negotiating tracks or pillars to address key issues. Two of the eight pillars have already been signed—the ceasefire verification mechanism from October 14 and the prisoner exchange agreement from September 14. The framework outlines six additional pillars that the two sides will negotiate: humanitarian access and judicial protection; the return of state authority, governance reforms, and public administration; security; identity and citizenship; economic recovery and social services; and a justice, truth, and reconciliation commission.[xxiv] The two sides will negotiate each of the pillars one after the other and debate the content, timelines, stages, procedures, and measures for implementation and monitoring in future discussions.[xxv] The resolution of all six additional pillars will represent a comprehensive peace deal, referred to as the Global Peace Agreement.[xxvi] The framework agreement committed the two sides to start negotiating the pillars no later than two weeks from November 15.[xxvii]

Data Cutoff: November 14, 2025, 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 and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters conducted a ground offensive and captured several villages from M23 south of Masisi town in North Kivu. M23 recaptured several other villages south of Masisi town after redeploying troops to the area. M23 reportedly shot down two attack drones over Walungu district in South Kivu. M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with Wazalendo fighters in the Uvira highlands in South Kivu.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

M23 repelled a pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighter attack in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 repelled the attack in Bukombo town, roughly ten miles northeast of Kitchanga town, in the Bwito chiefdom in Rutshuru on November 13.[i] M23 has clashed frequently with Wazalendo fighters in Bukombo in recent weeks.

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

Nothing significant to report.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23 attacked Wazalendo fighters near the RN2 in Kabare district in South Kivu. Congolese media reported that M23 attacked Wazalendo positions in several villages on the edge of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park near the RN2 on November 13.[ii]

M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with Wazalendo fighters in the Uvira highlands in South Kivu. M23-aligned Twirwaneho fighters reportedly clashed with Wazalendos in a village in the Bijombo group in the Bavira chiefdom in Uvira on November 14.[iii] The Bijombo group is in an isolated area to the west of the RP527 in the Uvira highlands. Twirwaneho fighters had clashed with pro-Congolese government forces to the south of Bavira along the RP527 near Minembwe town for several days in early November.[iv]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

The Congolese army (FARDC) and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters conducted a ground offensive and captured several villages from M23 south of Masisi town in North Kivu. FARDC and Wazalendo fighters reportedly recaptured at least four villages in the Osso Banyungu group—including Luke, which is about 13 miles south of Masisi—after two days of fighting on November 14.[v] The clashes in Osso Banyungu reportedly forced thousands of locals to flee toward Masisi town, Nyabiondo, and Kashebere near the RP529.[vi] Independent Congolese journalist Héritier Munyampfura cited a local source in Luke on November 14 who disputed that the villages fell to pro-Congolese government forces.[vii] Pro-Congolese government forces reportedly bombed M23 positions in Osso Banyungu using heavy artillery for several days before ground forces recaptured the villages from M23, who retreated toward Kasopo village near the RP529.[viii] Pro-M23 sources had claimed on social media that M23 shot down an FARDC-operated attack drone in Masisi using anti-aircraft weaponry on November 11.[ix]

M23 recaptured several other villages south of Masisi after redeploying troops to the area. The group launched an offensive and recaptured Kazinga and at least four other villages from Wazalendo fighters about 17 miles southwest of Masisi on November 14 after redeploying troops from Masisi, Nyabiondo, and Kasopo.[x] Local sources said that M23 likely wants to capture an FARDC supply point near Kazinga used to transport troops and supplies to the area via helicopter.[xi] Wazalendo fighters had captured Kazinga from M23 on November 12.[xii]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

M23 reportedly shot down two attack drones over Walungu district in South Kivu. Pro-M23 sources claimed on social media that M23 shot down two CH-4 drones near Nzibira and Kibandamangobo villages on the RP503 on November 14.[xiii]

Major Political Developments  

Nothing significant to report.